A Witch's Story
by numbah 1 HPFan
Summary: Kailey Macauley is the first ever American to enter Hogwarts as a student. Will she be able to keep her secrets hidden from the rest of the Wizarding World? ok, so I can't write a summary but Please review! thanks! COMPLETED AND W/ SEQUEL! :D
1. A Little Storm

FIRST CHAPTER

**DISCLAIMER!**

**Snape: Where would you look for a bezoar?**

**Kailey: Stomach of a goat.**

**Snape: was I talking to you? Very well, if you are so intent on answering questions…Who owns Harry Potter?**

**Kailey: J.K. Rowling!**

**Snape's thoughts: damn American!**

**_this is my first story! Please Review! _**

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The storm was raging outside and I was snuggled up with one of my favorite books. I absolutely adored the Harry Potter series and I read them over and over again in chronological order. I've kept up with this pattern since the third grade (now about to enter the sixth grade that's a pretty good record for me) and I rarely find any other books that I enjoy quite as much. Anyway, we should get back to our story…

Chapter 3, "The Letters From No One" was one of the best, well that's not saying much about my opinion seeing as I like all of the chapters… The summer rain hammered on the windows outside and it was dark for 5 in the afternoon. So much for it being a beautiful July afternoon… That one thought had crossed my mind so many times; it was becoming difficult to get on with my reading. I was home alone for the day. My parents both work and my little brother was over a friend's house for the night (can't say I'm complaining).

"Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did…"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, I heard something slam against the garage door. _Nothings there, I'm being stupid…_ I thought as I returned to my book. _Besides, I've got plenty of neighbors… and the phone…_Just then the lights flickered, and, naturally, they went out. "Of course this happens when I'm praying it doesn't!" I said aloud angrily shaking my head and returning to my book. Nothing was going to happen. Nothing ever did happen, not in my town, not in my state, heck not even in my life.

"Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? An (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? ..."

BANG!

I jumped and was forced out of my story by a large noise outside.

"Hello?" The voice calling out was that of a man. It was a deep voice, with a funny accent. "Hello?" He called again, "I know tha' you're in there!"

Shaking I walked over to the door, despite the threatening tone that I was hearing. Not the front door, which is where the voice was coming from, the door that leads to the garage. I wanted to see who was there before acting. I walked to the garage door and pressed my face against the window. It wasn't a great view, I couldn't see a thing.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the walk-in door, and unlocked it. I turned the handle as quietly as I could and snuck out the door, leaving it open for quick get-away, you know, just in case. I leaned over the bushes and screamed.

The giant of a man came running over with a look of worry on his face. I tried to turn to go inside but ended up backing into a wall. My face went pale and my eyes widened. (Yours would be to if you say a giant with a pink umbrella standing at your door requesting admittance!)

"Shhh! Don' scream. Don' want no one to know I'm here do we?" He turned his head from side to side, shaking off some of the water that was dripping steadily from his shaggy beard and hair. "Quick inside, before someone comes along…" It was very odd being ushered into my own house by a complete stranger.

Once inside, I walked over to the kitchen table and sat down, staring at the man. He was very familiar, yet I had no memory of ever encountering such a man.

"Okay, who the hell are you supposed to be? I mean, Halloween is like what…" I thought for a moment, "three months away? It's kinda early to be dressing up now."

"Well there's one way o' introducin' yerself," he said gruffly. "Although I spose yeh got yer rights to say tha'. Names Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and…"

"…Grounds at Hogwarts?" I finished for him.

"How do you know 'bout Hogwarts?" His black eyes searched me as though looking for something wrong…like I was supposed to be an imposter.

I snorted, "Who doesn't?"

He stared at me for a moment longer before reaching into one of his many pockets and saying, "Then yeh'll know all abou' this then won't ya?"

I looked at what he was handing me. "You're taking this joke way too far."

"Joke? I can't think o' anythin' less funny."

"Whatever," I muttered as I opened my letter already knowing what it should say.

"Dear Ms. Macauley,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…"

"So I've got one day to answer?" I said looking up, not at all convinced that any of this was true.

"Actually we need to go now."

"Now? But my parents…and packing and all that fun stuff! I can't do that all in less then a day!"

"Kailey, you won' need any o' that stuff, we're goin' ter Diagon Alley, after one more stop." Said Hagrid, "Sides, yeh need a uniform, not yer normal clothes. An' don' worry 'bout yer parents, they already know."

"They do?"

"Didn't yeh read the note they left fer yeh?"

"Well…" I headed over to the counter and opened the letter that my parents left for me daily, usually instructions of what neighbors to call in an emergency and stuff like that. Of course I never read them, my mom was a worry wart and my dad was way too overly protective when I was home alone.

"How are we getting to wherever it is we're going?" I asked suspiciously, having read the series; I knew that Hagrid wasn't allowed to use magic, even though he had his umbrella with him.

"Portkey, it's a kind of…"

"Its okay Hagrid, I know what a portkey is." I said smiling to myself. _A real live portkey... Cool…_

"Do yeh wanna grab anythin' before we go?"

I thought for a moment. Then I ran into the other room and grabbed "The Sorcerer's Stone" off the coffee table. I took off the book cover; I didn't want it to get ruined and grabbed a book mark placing it in where I had left off.

"I'm ready." I said, walking back down the hallway. Hagrid was holding a defeated looking Red Sox hat and I stuck out her finger to touch it and we were gone.

"One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty…ten…nine – maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him – three…two…one…

BOOM."

The whole shack shivered and so did I, it was freezing out there. _Should've grabbed a jacket or something…_ Hagrid knocked again as he had done at her house only an hour ago. _Six hours ago hear…damn I forgot about the time change…I hate that… _

The door caved in and I was brought out of my thoughts. Hagrid stepped in over the door and motioned for me to follow. I scurried in to get out of the storm as Hagrid apologized and refitted the door into its frame. I looked around positively beaming. Could this really be happening? I scanned the room which took about a second. It was everything I thought it would be. Small, tiny, smelly. Not your average dream come true. But there you have it.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…" He strode over to the sofa where a large boy sat, positively terrified. It must have been Dudley. _Good I'm glad he's terrified…can't wait until he gets his tail…_ I smirked as I remembered that part of the story, one of the best laughs I'd ever had.

He squeaked and ran over to hide behind his mother. _Not that easy for him to hide…bet he sucks at hide-n-go-seek…_ At this thought I let out a little giggle, earning myself a look of loathing from Dudley and Mrs. Dursley.

"An' here's Harry!" Hagrid announced, as though he was sort of introducing Harry to an aunt that nobody had ever met. A skinny boy with dark hair looked up at Hagrid, clearly frightened. I stood there, waiting to be introduced, but apparently that would have to wait, as Hagrid continued, "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad…"

"Except for your eyes," I stated, not wanting to be left out. "You have your mother's eyes." I smiled as Harry turned to look at me. It was true; his eyes were a shocking green that would make any leaf look brown.

Mr. Dursley made a sound like he was going to heave.

"You should get some water, sir." I said politely, a glint of danger in my eyes. If Dursley was anything like in my books, he was a child abuser and I didn't hold well with that.

He ignored me. "I demand that you leave at once, you are breaking and entering!"

"Shut up Dursley, yeh great prune," Hagrid reached over the sofa that he now occupied and took the gun from the muggle's hands, tying it into a knot that would make a cub scout proud. "Anyways, Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste alright."

From yet another one of his pockets he pulled out a slightly squashed cake with green icing on it. _I don't think I'll have any of that thank you…_ I remembered reading about Hagrid's rock cakes, not exactly my choice of foods.

"Who are you?" Harry said suddenly. I smiled as Hagrid chuckled before answering.

"Course I haven' introduced meself. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"And I'm Kailey." I said extending my own hand to shake Harry's. _Oh my God! I'm shaking hands with Harry Potter! _

Hagrid caught site of the empty grate and rolled his eyes. He took out his umbrella and lit the fire. It was then that I realized I had been shivering. I let out a small sigh of comfort as the warmth washed over me.

Hagrid set to work making breakfast (sausages and tea). When he was done with the first half-dozen Mr. Dursley said "Don't touch anything he gives you Dudley."

"Like he needs it." I snapped, and continued, "Why on earth would we waste perfectly good, juicy, sausages on that boy?" Dudley's mouth twitched as I described the sausages. "Smells good doesn't it Dudders?" I added in a whisper.

Hagrid passed the sausages to Harry, who still looked at Hagrid as though he were…, well…a giant. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know either of you."

"Call me Hagrid," he said. "And that there's Kailey, she's already said, as a matter o' fact she'll be one o' yer classmates. An' like I've told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts -- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."

Harry looked at me, eyebrows raised, as though I could tell him that this was all a joke. _So sorry to disappoint you Harry… _"Sorry, but, um…no."

Hagrid looked shocked and I braced myself for the oncoming rage. Perhaps Harry saw me wince at the look on Hagrid's face, because he said "sorry" again.

"It's them who should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters, but I never even thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"

If I could've stopped Harry from saying "All what?" I would've.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid's eyes went from kind and gentle to, well, monstrously scary to put it bluntly. He leapt to his feet and the building (well, alright, shack) shook so violently I was sure we were going down.

"You mean ter tell me," his growl was worthy of a dragon's purr, "that this boy – this boy! – doesn't know anything abou' everythin'?"

Harry looked slightly offended. "I know some things. I can, you know, do math and stuff…" He trailed off.

"No, no, no." I said, "Not _that _stuff."

"About _our_ world, _your_ world, _my_ world,_ her_ world…_yer parents_ world."

"What world?" You would think that he'd learned from the last question not to state the obvious so obviously.

"DURSLEY!" Hagrid was as red as a traffic light. Clearly he hadn't planned on explaining anything to Harry as he had for me. Well, you can't exactly blame him for that, me being the muggle born and all. Mr. Dursley was as white as (excuse me) a ghost. _Hmm…I wonder if you can still say "white as a ghost" in one's presence…_

Still fuming Hagrid went on. "But yeh must know abou' yer mom and dad, I mean yer all famous."

"What? My – my parents weren't famous," he paused. "Were they?"

"Ya, they were really REALLY, famous…" I said.

Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair (_how does he get his hand through that knotted mane…?) _shaking his head.

"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" He asked finally, it seemed as though Hagrid was finally accepting he'd have to explain something.

"Stop!" A voice from the corner of the room shouted like a general giving orders. It was Mr. Dursley, "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

If a human's looks could kill, Vernon Dursley would've been less than dust the way Hagrid was looking at him.

"You never told him?" Hagrid looked as though he would burst into flames (not the kind of flames a phoenix would, a more threatening type), "You never gave him the letter tha' Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

Harry looked excited now, "Kept what from me?"

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Mr. Dursley as his wife gasped in horror.

"Go boil yer heads." Said Hagrid, "Harry, yer a wizard."

Silence.

"I'm a what?" said Harry perplexed.

"That's what I said when he told me that." Not really, but I had been thinking it.

"A wizard. An' a good one I'd wager once yer trained."

"Hagrid, you should give him his letter now." I said.

"Right, here yeh are Harry."

He took the letter which was addressed to a Mr. H Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. I assumed it had the same contents as my own had.

The look on Harry's face screamed curiosity. He wasn't pale exactly but it defiantly wasn't a normal color. "What's it mean 'they await my owl'?" he asked finally.

"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid taking his hand to his forehead. And out of yet another pocket came a real, living, breathing, annoyed-looking owl.

"Cool," I whispered. It was the closest I'd ever been to a bird. Actually they sort of creeped me out a bit. Okay, I'm downright terrified of birds, especially seagulls, long story, but this would have to change.

Hagrid scribbled out a little note and attached it to the owl. Then he threw the poor bird out into the storm.

Hagrid sat back down saying, "Where was I?"

"He's not going." Said Mr. Dursley matter-of-factly.

"An' I suppose a great muggle like yerself is goin' ter stop him eh?"

"Muggle?"

"It's a person who isn't a witch or wizard." I filled in. _So this is how Hermione is going to feel… _

**_Alright! That's it for chapter one! Chapter two is on its way! Please read and review!_**


	2. 493 Knuts to a Galleon

SECOND CHAPTER

**_Now I know that there wasn't much a difference, but as things move along, I promise I'll get better! Kk, here we go! Off to Diagon Alley! Don't forget to review!_**

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It was amazing! The entire street was full of the most exotic things. By exotic I mean completely weird and unnatural.

I looked around at everything, following in Hagrid's wake. I turned my head to see owls in cages, hooting, and screeching to one another above the babble of noise. On the other side I spotted the Nimbus Two Thousand, receiving more attention from the boys who were gazing at it than anything else on the crowded street. It was so sleek and smooth…

The next thing I knew, we were in front of a gigantic marble building; Gringotts, the wizard bank. _So cool!..._ _Oh! Damn! _

"Hagrid, I know we kinda already discussed Harry's money issue, but what about mine?" I wasn't an orphan, my parents were in another country, and I have no idea how to transfer money.

"That'll on'y take a sec." Said Hagrid waving his hand as though brushing away the topic.

"Oh, okay then," I whispered feeling sort of embarrassed.

Harry fell behind into step with me.

"This is all insane!" He whispered excitedly. "I mean, until you two showed up…I mean I would never have guessed…Wow." He said shaking his head.

"Ya, I know what you mean."

"Are you're parents wizards too?"

"Nope, as far as I know, I'm the only one in the family." Then I added, "My brother might end up being one though, he's only eight so we don't know yet."

Harry nodded, "I wish I had a brother,"

"No you don't." I said laughing, "He wouldn't be as bad as Dudley, but he'd find other ways of torturing you. Trust me."

Harry laughed as we began to climb the stairs to the bank.

The message on the doors disturbed me a little bit, and I reminded myself to never befriend a thief. The goblins were short, nasty looking creatures and my first thoughts were _look out Bagman… _I looked around watching them do their work. Over by one counter I spotted a young man with a short-ish red ponytail. _Huh, I thought he was supposed to be in Egypt…No earring yet I see…when will you acquire that? _I smiled remembering book four. Bill Weasley was in fact quite good looking…okay, he was hott.

We arrived at our counter.

"Morning, I would like to create an account," said Hagrid.

"Who will be the owner of the account?" replied the goblin, taking out a quill and a scroll.

"Kailey Macauley," answered Hagrid, patting my shoulder, making my knees quiver slightly.

"Why does she need an account? She looks far too young." Sneered the goblin.

"She is a muggle-born, sir, her parents don't have an account."

"Oh, so sorry," he didn't look sorry at all. "In that case, where shall we be making the transfer from?"

"America,"

The goblin sighed, "Why exactly did you have to come to _this _Gringotts, sir?"

"She'll be attending Hogwarts,"

"An American? Why?"

"Can't rightly say why, sir, yeh'd have to ask Professor Dumbledore that."

Harry looked at me, "You're American?" he whispered.

"Yes. Why? Does it really matter?" I whispered back. He shook his head still staring at me.

"It just explains you're accent I guess."

"Alright, your transition is complete. Here is the key to her vault. Anything else?" Wow, that was really fast. _I wonder how they did it…_

"Yes, sir, Mr. Harry Potter wishes to make a withdrawal, as well."

"Very well, where is his key?"

"Oh, umm….wait, I've got it here somewhere…"

After covering the counter with moldy dog biscuits and other various items that had been crammed in all different pockets, Hagrid found the key.

"And Professor Dumbledore gave me this."

The goblin took the letter with lacy writing and read it. "Very well, let me find someone to take you down to the vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook led us threw the doors at the very back of the room. We were suddenly inside what looked like a mine. The torches on the walls cast eerie shadows on all of the walls and the floor. It was like walking towards the Chamber of Secrets two years early.

We came to some tracks and Griphook whistled for the cart that came whizzing toward us. Harry looked at me, opening his mouth.

"Don't you dare say 'ladies first'." I threatened. He nodded, blushing a little, climbing into the cart and I followed.

Hagrid squished in after us. I had absolutely no fear of falling out of the cart; we were crammed in good. And off we went. I couldn't look strait ahead; I thought I'd get sick if I did. Every time we dropped deeper, a strange sensation went through my stomach.

"I never know, what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" Harry shouted.

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it, an' don' ask questions righ' now, I think I'm gonna be sick," said Hagrid, before I could answer.

"Actually," I shouted, "The ones on top are the stalactites!" I could barely hear myself over the roar of the cart.

We stopped at Harry's vault first.

"Lamp, please," the goblin said, as Harry handed him the lamp. "Key, please!" Griphook seemed impatient as he said, "Wrong key, I'd like the other one please."

Okay, so we stopped at mine first. All the doors look the same, and I don't know what number we were at!

He unlocked the door, and stood back. _Did they transfer the right person? _Was it really possible that my parents had saved that much for my college funds? It wasn't mountainous, more like mini foothills.

"How is _that_ possible?" I wondered aloud.

"Its how the money transfers," explained Griphook. "American muggle money is worth more to goblins, than is the British muggle money."

"Why's that? I thought it'd be the other way around." Interjected Harry.

The goblin smiled with his little pointy teeth and said, "Why do you care so much, little wizard?"

In one motion, Harry and I had both stepped into Hagrid's wake. The goblin's smile was really unnerving. _Suspicious little beast…_

After we took some money out and put it in a small leather pouch (which Hagrid gave to me), we were back in the cart rattling along to Harry's vault. This time it really was his vault that we stopped at.

If I had looked surprised, it was nothing to Harry's pure shock.

"Didn' think yer parents would leave yeh with nuthin' did yeh?"

"Man, you're rich!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. The room was bigger than my vault and was certainly a lot fuller. Mountainous mounds of gold, silver, and bronze.

"All right you two," said Hagrid as he scooped up some of Harry's money. "The gold ones are called Galleons, seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, its easy enough."

"So how many Knuts to a Galleon then?" I asked. I'm not so good at math and stuff.

"Four Hundred and Ninety-three," The goblin supplied. "Not many people do change for a Galleon in Knuts." _I could never have guessed…_

"Vault 713 now please," said Hagrid. "And could we go a little more slowly?"

"One speed," grinned Griphook.

He lied. We were going faster as we plummeted towards the bottomless pit of darkness. Okay, so it wasn't completely dark, there were torches along the walls, but they were only like little balls of light that we sped past.

When we finally got there, there was no key hole. Griphook ordered us all to stand back, and he stroked the door. _Just as you stroke the book…must be where the idea came from…_ As the door melted away, I craned my neck past Harry and Hagrid looking for a tiny brown package that would be sitting on the floor. Harry craned his neck too, only I think he was looking for something more…impressive than what we saw.

"If anybody but a Gringotts Goblin tried that, they'd be sucked inside the vault."

"How often do you check?"

"Hmm…about once every ten years." That smile was really starting to bug me.

Hagrid went in and picked up the package choosing to not explain anything to us and to tell us to keep this visit to ourselves, which I'd be more than happy to do… maybe.

We piled back into the cart and made our way out of the bank. We stood in the sunlight for a few moments before Hagrid said, "Best get yer uniforms."

We started down the street.

"Listen, guys, do yeh mind if I head fer the Leaky Cauldron for a pick-me-up? On'y those Gringotts carts…"

"Go ahead Hagrid, we'll be fine." I said smiling. _Can't wait to meet the loathsome little…_

We entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The Madam was a short, plump lady, with a welcoming smile.

"Hogwarts, dears?"

"Yes,"

"Got the lot here – there's another young man being fitted now, in fact" She lead us to the back room, where on a stool stood none other than Draco Malfoy, of course I wasn't supposed to know this at the time so I didn't say anything. Not just then anyway.

She called for another witch to help me with my robes and they began pinning us to the fabric.

"Hello, Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," Harry and I chorused.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands."

"You aren't going to get your wand yourself?" I asked. After all, doesn't the wand choose the wizard?

"No," Malfoy stared at me, looking at me with one eyebrow cocked. "Anyway, then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years aren't allowed to play. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

"You want to get into trouble the first day?" I asked, my turn to cock an eyebrow.

He glared at me, "Was I talking to you?"

"I don't know, where you?"

He continued to glare as he asked Harry, and not me, "Have_ you_ got your own broom?"

"No," he answered.

"Either of you play Quidditch?"

"Nope,"

"No,"

"_I _do and Father says it's a crime if they don't pick me for house team, and I must say that I agree." He paused for a glance at his robes, "Know what house you'll be in?"

"No," said Harry. Poor Harry, he had no idea what was going on.

"I hope that I'm in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor." I said, "Hufflepuff wouldn't be too bad either." I added as an after thought.

"Hufflepuff? Why in the world would you want to be in that house? I know that I'll be in Slytherin."

"Funny, why in the world would you want to be in Slytherin?"

Ignored again.

"Look at that man!" Malfoy said suddenly.

Hagrid was at the window holding three ice-creams.

"That's Hagrid," said Harry. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh, he's a sort of servant. Isn't he? I've heard of him."

"He's the gamekeeper."

"Exactly. I heard he's sort of savage, lives in a hut by the forest and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant,"

"Yeah, and he's really nice,"

"You think so? Why? Where are your parents?"

"Mine are across the ocean."

"They're dead," said Harry, staring into space for a moment.

"Oh, sorry," _No your not, you evil little…_ "But they were our kind right? Not the other sort."

"They were a witch and wizard if that's what you mean."

Well, now we're just heading for a danger zone.

I opened my mouth but Malfoy interrupted, "I really don't think that they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same. They've never been brought up to know our ways. Some have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter. Imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding--"

"Shut up." I said, "What do you know of us? Huh? Sure it won't be easy for us, but you haven't really had much of a head start have you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm a muggle-born, you evil little--"

"Alright you two are both done."

Of course.

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**_don't forget to review me! Thank you very much for reading:-D_**


	3. A Wand and A Nasty Little

CHAPTER THREE

**_Hey guys, I'm back again! Thank you to DandN and KHStennis01 my first two reviewers (from A Fourth Friend Version)! I'll try to make u guys proud! Without further ado (?) my third segment, chapter, w/e!_**

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"What's the matter with you two?"

We were walking down the street (slowly) and eating our ice-creams.

"Nothing," Harry lied. _To you maybe…_

"We meet some nasty little," I cut myself off before saying anything…rude. "_Person_ in the store."

Hagrid nodded to show that he was listening. So I continued.

"At first he was kinda okay, but then he just turned into this--"

"_Really_ rude person," Harry cut in.

"Yeah, and he was making cracks about Hufflepuffs and stuff, and I was okay with that, you know? But then he starts going on about muggle-borns." And Harry and I explained the entire story.

"Oh," said Hagrid, with a sudden air of understanding. "Yeh'll meet people like tha' yeh know. It doesn't mean anything! People who talk like tha' aren' worth listenin' too."

"I know, it's just…I mean I'm new enough to all this as it is but…"

"You're new? At least you understood the conversation!"

That made me blush a little I'll admit. "I'm sorry, Harry, it's just…when I get mad…" I couldn't continue on. I didn't know what else to say.

We didn't talk about it again until after we had made some stops. Sure, we've all heard about the ink that changes colors as you write, but I also found parchment that matched the colors of the ink, unless you held it in the right light. There were all sorts of colors to choose from too: sky blue, midnight blue, purple-blue, robin's egg blue, cherry red, apple red, apple green, apple yellow, etc. I bought black though (more traditional). When we left the shop, we got back to the subject of the conversation with dear old Draco.

"Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know – not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse." I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit guilty for that.

"But if he'd known who yeh both were, or at least who you were Harry, he's grown up knowin' yer name."

"So what is Quidditch?" Harry persisted.

"It's our sport; wizard sport. Played on brooms. Like soccer in the muggle world – everyone follows Quidditch. There are four balls, played in the air. It's sorta hard ter explain." Hagrid glanced at me as though expecting me to suddenly answer all these questions. _Think I'll let Ron tackle this one… _I shook my head.

"That's pretty much all I know." Lie. Lie. Lie.

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw and Gryffindor?"

"Those are the four houses," I said.

"Everyone says that Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but--"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry sadly.

"I wouldn't put a ton of money on that one, Harry." I said smiling.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin, anyways," Hagrid growled. "There's not a single witch or wizard tha' went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one o' them."

"Vol- sorry, I mean You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.

We stopped at Flourish and Blotts next. We went through the book store, looking at everything from the size of postage stamps to the size of a poster board (the kind you do a presentation on for school).

"Wow," said Harry, stopping to look at one book. It was _Curses and Counter-curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges" Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying, and Much, Much, More) _

"That would come in handy…"

"Don' even think about it." Said Hagrid, with a tone of warning in his voice.

Next we went for our cauldrons and scales. Hagrid didn't let Harry get a gold cauldron. I guess he didn't want him wasting his money, or showing off or something stupid like that. Next we went to the Apothecary, which stank worse than the combination of dead skunk and other various road kill. I couldn't look at the shelves; jars of slimy looking dead things and claws and the scent all together made my stomach churn.

"All that we've got left now, is yer wands," said Hagrid, checking the list one final time. "Oh, an' I still haven't gotten yeh a birthday present."

"You don't have to," said Harry, reddening up at once.

"I know I don' have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed outta the castle – an' cats make me sneeze... I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful. Carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Eeylops Owl Emporium was full of dark, jewel-like eyes. I practically stuck to Harry; I hate birds. There were all sorts of owls in there, but one of them really stuck out. She was beautiful, stuck right between two black owls, the snowy stuck out. We left, carrying one extra in toe.

Harry sounded like Professor Quirrell had in the Leaky Cauldron, when the entire pub had come over to shake hands with Harry. And finally, we were going to get our wands. The big moment; the time when we really start this whole magic business. It gave me shivers just to think about it.

The shop was dusty and quite. It had that old person's house smell to it. There were shelves and stacks of narrow boxes that cluttered the place. Rows of shelving lined the walls and created narrow hallways along the stores interior. There was suddenly a clicking sound and a ladder came sliding into view. Upon it, a frizzy, white-haired man. He smiled, giving his wrinkled face an air of understanding, hiding the creepiness of his features.

"Good afternoon," his voice was sort of raspy, and very, very quite.

"Hello," muttered Harry.

I just smiled. Mr. Ollivander's entrance spooked me a little bit.

"Ah, yes," he had noticed the scar on Harry's forehead. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Mr. Potter. You have your mother's eyes." He was quite observant. "It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." _How many wands could he possibly remember?_

Ollivander took a step closer to Harry, and I sort of moved behind Harry. Ollivander seemed nice, but his appearance suggested that he was more…creepy…than he let on. His silvery eyes were now boring into Harry's bright green ones. _Ha ha…green and silver…like Slytherin…_

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration." _That explains a lot…_ "Well, I say your father favored it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." _HA! In your face Malfoy! _"And that's where," Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar with a long white finger. "I'm so sorry to say that I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen-and-a-half inches, yew. A very powerful wand in the wrong hands…if I had known what that wand was setting out to do…" Mr. Ollivander shook his head and backed away some. When he looked up, he finally saw Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again….Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?" _Interesting sort of greeting…_

"It was sir, yes,"

"Good wand, that one." His voice turned slightly stern. "But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?"

"Er – yes, sir, they did." Hagrid blushed a little underneath his whiskers. "I kept the pieces though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use the pieces do you?"

"Oh, no, sir, o' course not." Hagrid said quickly.

"Hmm…," Ollivander stared at Hagrid a moment longer before taking notice of me. "And who might you be, young lady?"

"Kailey Macauley," I answered, sheepishly.

"Well, ladies first then," _I knew he was going to say that_…

He took out the tape measure and we began. "Your wand arm?"

I held out my right arm. He measured me shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, followed by shoulder to floor and knee to armpit. As he did this he was saying, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of powerful magical substance." He was speaking to both of us. "We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two wands are alike, just as no two wizards, witches, dragons, unicorns, etc. are alike. You will never get such good results as you will with your own wand than as with another wizard's wand. That will do." The tape measure dropped to the floor, and I rubbed my nose, where it had been measuring from in between my eyes to the tip of my nose.

"Right, Ms. Macauley, try this one." He said, handing me a wand. "Maple, unicorn hair, eight-and-a-half inches, and very springy. Give it a wave."

I waved it; though I already had a feeling this would be the one. My fingers had a warm sensation running through them. Blue and silver sparks came shooting out the end, shaping themselves to look like mini stars. It was incredible.

"Perfect. Ms. Macauley, now I don't remember that last name. What was your mother's maiden name?"

"Oh, umm, I'm a muggle-born, sir." I said quickly.

"Ahh…well then that would explain it," said Mr. Ollivander, nodding. "Well, that'll be seven gold Galleons." I paid and Mr. Ollivander said, "Now on to Mr. Potter."

After measuring, Mr. Ollivander went to the back to find a wand. He came back saying, "Beachwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible." Harry waved it. Nothing happened. "All right, try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy," Harry had barely raised his hand when Ollivander snatched it back, going to get another wand. "No, here – ebony, and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, try it," This process continued endlessly. I had a feeling that the only wand in the shop that Harry hadn't tried was my own. This didn't seem to faze Ollivander in the least; he was becoming quite giddy by now.

"Tricky customer, eh? Now hold on a moment – ah yes," he said, pulling a thin, dusty box down from a shelf. "I wonder, now --- why not? – Unusual combination – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand and raised it above his head. He brought it down in a great sweeping motion and out came a stream of red and gold sparks. Hagrid whooped and clapped, and I said, "Well, I hope you like it, you were so picky!" smiling.

Mr. Ollivander cried out, "Bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

"Umm…sorry, but, what's curious?" said Harry.

Ollivander turned on the spot to fix Harry with his silver-eyed stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single one. And it so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. Yew, thirteen-and-a-half inches. It is curious how these things happen, for your wands brother, well; its brother gave you that scar." Ollivander paused for a short breath here. Harry's face was white, very white. "The wand chooses the wizard, remember….I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter, after all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things." Ollivander was at a mysterious whisper now, "Terrible," he shook out suddenly, "but great." _Talk about no pressure…_

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**_Alrighty then, that's all she wrote! (For now!) I'm hoping to get the fourth chapter up ASAP! And again, no emails (I won't end up receiving them anyway!) reviews are always welcome; just don't be too harsh, kk? Thnx again:-D _**


	4. Hermione and the Books

CHAPTER FOUR

_**Here comes the fourth chapter of my story…let's get going then shall we?**_

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Hagrid and Harry left the Leaky Cauldron after a quick bite to eat with me. I was going to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a whole month. Alone.

"Yeh don' mind do yeh?" Hagrid had asked when he told me. "Yeh could always come ter Hogwarts a bit early."

"Oh, no! I couldn't do that! I want to be on the train the first day with everyone else."

And that was that. Hagrid handed me my ticket and we went up to the desk to get me a room.

"You'll be in room twelve, it's right up the hallway there," said Tom the bartender/inn keeper, pointing towards a set of stairs.

"Thank you." I said, taking the key from Tom. "Hagrid, how am I getting to the train station?"

"Dumbledores set it up fer some o' those ministry cars to come get yeh."

"Oh, okay then."

"Now, here's yer ticket. The train will leave at eleven o'clock on the dot."

"Okay,"

"Yeh sure yeh'll be fine?"

"I'm positive."

And so they left.

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Tom helped me bring my things to my room and he left too. I took out my wand and held it in my hand. It was really mine. All of this really had just happened.

"Wow," I sighed and looked out the window. _I'm an ocean away from home…in the capital of a foreign country…I haven't even been to my own capital… _"What am I gonna wear to bed?" I said aloud.

"Worry about that tomorrow, dear," the voice made me jump about a foot in the air. I looked over and no one was there. My eyes settled on my reflection in the mirror. "That's right, it was me." The reflection's lips moved, but mine didn't. _Must be a trick in the mirror…or something… _

I laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling for a little while. I fell asleep pretty quickly. _Jetlag is gonna suck… _

A few days I decided I was going to explore Diagon Alley a little bit closer. I went through the wall and walked along the street. Not too far along, I came to the shop containing the Nimbus Two Thousand. I entered looking around. It smelled like pine and birch and other woods they used for broomsticks. I walked around for a few minutes before I found the Nimbus and leaned over it. It was smooth and I could almost see my reflection. The tail was perfect, not one twig out of place. It was, as far as I could tell, impressive.

I left the shop a little while later, and continued to explore. All the shops and the streets were packed by lunch time. I had my money in my bag, and held it firm as I searched for a place to get some decent pajamas. Not a huge problem, but it had been easier to follow behind Hagrid the day before.

I entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There was a huge line at the check-out, so I wandered aimlessly through the robes. I found a pair I liked (with monkeys, if you're wondering), and got in line. It took an hour to get through before I could pay my 5 sickles.

I exited the shop carrying my bag and made my way through the crowds towards Flourish and Blotts. The book store was even more crowded, though the line wasn't as long. I wanted to get something to read before I started school. I wasn't planning on wandering the Alley everyday till the first of September. I walked along the shelves, reading the interesting titles as I went. There was; _The Care and Feeding of Hippogriffs,_ and_ The Art of Unicorn Sighting, _and_ Quidditch through the Ages,_ and_ Where There's a Wand There's a Way, _and many others with interesting titles or book covers.

A little way along one of the shelves, I spotted a girl with extremely bushy hair. She was already drinking in a book.

"What's that your reading?" I asked, coming closer.

The girl looked up. "Oh, it's just one of the course books for first years."

"Which one?"

"Umm…" she flipped the book over in her hands to find the title. "_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_."

"Did you find any interesting ones yet?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Well, I think that they're all interesting." She said holding her page open with her finger. "By the way, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Kailey Macauley," I said. "I'm a first year too."

"Really? We might have lessons together then. Won't we?"

"Yeah, probably." I said shrugging.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Hogwarts! You must have asked your parents about it. I've got a million questions! It's all so exciting!"

"Actually, my parents are muggles, they aren't magic." I said, responding to her curious expression. "And even if they were a witch and wizard, they wouldn't have come to Hogwarts anyway. I'm from America."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed…"

"It's alright."

"So, are you going to read up on everything?"

"I dunno…it's not like I'll be far behind if I don't."

"But you didn't know anything about Hogwarts before. Did you?"

"Umm…not really." Lie. Lie. Lie. "But now I know loads more. Like there are four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. And, umm…there's Quidditch, it's a sport played on broom…and there are the ghosts and stuff."

"How did you learn all that stuff?"

"I came here yesterday with Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of the Keys, and Harry Potter, he's going to be a first year as well."

"Why are you back then?"

"I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron till school starts."

"Oh, that's interesting. I bet you'll see loads of interesting stuff there."

"Yeah. I just came here to get a book to read while I wait for summer to finish."

"You're not going to take a look around?"

I shook my head, "nah, I don't really want to walk around here alone for thirty days in a row."

She nodded, "Well, do you think you could help with my shopping? I've just got the books left, and I keep getting side tracked."

"Of course. Where are your parents?"

"They're at the front of the store having a look around."

"Okay, let's go."

We found the rest of her books and stacked them all up so that we could carry them. It only took about 15 minutes.

"Let's find something for you to read now." Said Hermione, shifting some of her books to look at some of the titles. "How about this one?" she picked up _Modern Magical History_.

"Umm…I'm not much for history."

"Oh, well how about this, it called _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts._"

"Hmm…"

"No? Well what about _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_?"

_Why do those all sound familiar…? _"Uh… I don't think so. Here look at this one. It's called _Hogwarts, a History._"

"Oh, that's perfect! We can learn about everything there is to know about Hogwarts!" She was beaming, "I think I'll get all of them."

"I'll get _Hogwarts, a History_ and _Quidditch Through the Ages_, then. I want to learn more about Quidditch, it sounds like fun."

We headed towards the counter; the line was far shorter now than it had been when I came in. Hermione continued talking about how she was so excited and that she really hoped she'd do well in school.

"Hermione, I think you'll be fine."

"Do you really think so?" She seemed overly anxious.

"Yes, I really think so."

"So, how come you aren't going to an American school instead of Hogwarts?"

"I…I don't know…it's been bugging me, but Hagrid never mentioned anything…not about an American school…huh…" I actually hadn't really thought about it. I didn't really care, but now that the question was being asked…

"Hmm…we'll have to investigate when we get to school."

We were at the counter and Hermione ended up paying two Galleons and seven Sickles. I paid one Galleon and three Sickles. We walked to the front of the shop, where her parents were waiting.

"Mom, Dad, this is Kailey. She's going to Hogwarts this year too."

"Hello," I said, blushing slightly.

"Very nice to meet you Kailey," said Mr. Granger, shaking my hand.

"Yes, hello, dear," said Mrs. Granger. "Where are your parents?"

"Oh, there over in America," said Hermione at once. "Kailey is staying at the Leaky Cauldron, till it's time for school." I smiled and nodded.

"Did you know you were a witch then?" inquired Mrs. Granger.

"No, I didn't know until Hagrid came and picked me up."

"You must be very nervous, here by yourself. Have you ever been to London before?"

"No, I've never really gone farther than New Jersey. About five states over from where I live."

Mrs. Granger nodded.

"Have you got everything, Hermione?" asked her father.

"Yes, and I got a few extra books to get a little background information."

"Alright, then we'd better get going. It was nice to meet you, Kailey."

"I can't wait to see you at school."

"Yeah, I'll see you there."

Hermione's question still rang out in my head. _Why am I going to Hogwarts? Why aren't I going to Salem Witches Academy or something…? _

I went back up to my room and sat down on the bed and opened up _Quidditch through the Ages_. I sat there reading for a little while, before my eyes began to droop. I laid down and continued reading, but the letters were becoming fuzzy. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. Well, I had only been in London for a few days.

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**_That's the end of this chapter! I hoped you enjoyed it! Please! Please! Please! Give me a review! I'll get the next chapter up soon…THNX!_**

_**:-D**_


	5. The Frog and the Rat

CHAPTER FIVE

**_I'm skipping ahead to the 1st of September, cuz I want to. I hope this is good! Don't forget to review!_**

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I came downstairs with all my stuff on the first of September. It wasn't an easy load to handle either, but I made it on my own. Tom took me outside to the waiting ministry cars. _What a fun ride this'll be…_ They loaded my luggage into the trunk and I said my thanks to Tom. It was ten thirty when we set off.

We arrived at quarter of, and I was supplied with a cart to wheel my things around in. The ministry man walked me into the station said, "Well, here you are," and left without another word.

"Here I am," I whispered, not having any clue where the platform was. Sure, I knew exactly what I had _to do_, but did it matter _which_ barrier? I wandered around hopelessly, knowing better than to ask the guards for help. I began searching for an owl. Any owl would do, but as long as it was an owl, then I'd be all set. I could just follow somebody onto the platform. I looked through the crowd and finally saw the snowy owl sitting in a cage. Harry was talking to a guard, and he looked how I felt: panicked.

"Harry!" I shouted running over to him, pushing my cart along.

He looked over as the guard walked away, shaking his head. "Kailey! Do you have any idea how we get to the train?"

"I've got some thought as to how we do it, yeah." I said and Harry exhaled, relieved. "I just don't know where the platform is."

"Oh, well…then…what should we--"

"—packed with muggles of course--"

We looked at each other and wheeled around to see a group of redheads walking together, and with them was an owl. Without a word we followed them. We stopped a short distance away and watched them carefully.

"Now what was the platform number?" said a pleasantly plump women.

"Nine and three quarters! Oh mum, can't I go?" pleaded a small girl.

"No, Ginny, you're not old enough, yet. Percy, you go first."

A tall boy with horn-rimmed glasses marched forward he reached the barrier and just was…gone. I had to blink to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.

"Fred, go on,"

"He's not Fred, _I_ am!" said one of the twins.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother?" said the other twin.

I let out a giggle, as the twins went through the barrier as well. Harry looked at me and nodded towards them. I nodded for an answer.

"Excuse me," said Harry as we walked towards the remaining redheads.

"Hello, dears, first time at Hogwarts?" we nodded, "Ron's new, as well."

She pointed to him. He as tall as his mother already and he was gangling and of course, tons of freckles.

"Yes, the thing is – the thing is, we don't really know how to – to…"

"How to get onto the platform," I interrupted.

"Oh, not to worry, all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten. Don't be scared or you'll crash into it. Why don't you two go on now before Ron?"

"Ok, um…thanks" I said, hoping that Harry wouldn't make me go first.

"Er – Kailey, why don't you--?"

I gulped and nodded. I pushed my cart towards the barrier. My heart was thumping against my throat. I was going to crash I just knew it. I broke into a sprint and closed my eyes. There was a quick icy sensation and I opened my eyes. I had made it through!

I stood a little ways from the barrier so that Harry could come through without crashing into me. I looked up at the giant scarlet steam engine packed with people waiting to begin the journey to Hogwarts. I looked back at the barrier and Harry appeared suddenly from it. His eyes grew wide as he looked around.

"Let's go find a place to sit." I said, and Harry nodded.

We walked down the platform until we found an empty compartment. It was so weird watching people walk around like this all was completely normal. Cats weaving between your legs, and owls hooting and screeching all over the place. I looked in on one compartment and saw a toad sitting on the floor.

We started attempting to get our trunks onto the train. The effort was useless; we just couldn't get the trunks up the narrow stairway. I jammed my finger against the wall on one side, causing me to let go, landing the trunk on Harry's foot.

"Oh, Harry—ouch--I'm so sorry." I said clutching my finger, which was turning red as I spoke.

"That's alright," said Harry rubbing his foot.

"Want a hand?" said a voice from over my shoulder, which made me jump. It was one of the twins.

"Yes, please," Harry and I chorused.

"OY! Fred get over here and help us with these!"

The second twin appeared and went down on Harry's end and the four of us managed the trunks quite easily. I rubbed my hand, my finger still throbbing slightly when one of the twins said "What's that?" he was pointing at Harry's forehead.

"Blimey, are you--?"

"He is! Aren't you?"

I raised my eyebrow. _I thought twins thought alike…_

"Am I what?"

"Harry Potter!"

"Oh, him," _that made sense_… "I mean, yeah, I am."

The twins stared open-mouthed. Again I was shunted to the side.

"Fred? George? Are you two in there?"

"Coming mum," said the twin closest to me. They took another look at Harry and jumped off the train.

Harry looked at me, "How often do you think that'll happen?" he said nodded toward the twins.

"Hmm…this is just a guess but I think it'll happen…enough that you'll get used to it."

"That much, huh?"

I laughed and we sat down in the compartment. Harry leaned away from the window slightly, watching the redheaded family.

"What's that 'P' on his badge for?" Harry asked.

"It just means that he's a prefect." I said.

"Oh, are you a _prefect_, Percy?" the twin's voice floated through the window.

"See?" I said, grinning.

They continued their conversation and I opened my book to page 96, from which I could quote everything that they were saying.

"Hey, mom, guess who we just met?"

I looked up to see Harry squishing himself against his seat, as far away from the window as he could get.

"You know that black-haired kid who was near us in the train station?"

"The boy or the girl?"

"My hair is not black." I said, shaking my head.

"It's not?" said Harry.

"No, its just really dark brown."

"Oh, well, if you say so,"

"I _do_ say so."

"_Harry Potter!_" The twins had finally told their mother.

"Oh, mum, can I please go and see him?" Ginny's voice was high and excited.

"You've already seen him Ginny, he's not a zoo animal," scolded her mother. "Is he? How do you know?"

"We asked him," said one of the twins (Fred?) proudly.

"Do you think he'll remember anything about the night that it happened?" said the other (George?)

"I forbid you to ask him that! As if he needs to be reminded of that on his first day of school!"

"Alright, alright,"

"Keep your hairnet on!"

The whistle sounded and I looked up at Harry.

"Last chance to stay here," I said with a smile, as the train started moving.

"I'll pass, anywhere is better than with the Dursleys."

The door of the compartment slide open and the freckliest of the boys entered.

"Oh, sorry," he said beginning to move on.

"No, wait," I said jumping up and sitting next to Harry. "There's plenty of room."

"Yeah," said Harry.

"Thanks," said the boy smiling. "Everywhere else is full."

"No problem,"

He glanced quickly at Harry then looked away when he saw me watching. His nose still had a small blotch on it.

The door slid open again, "Hey, Ron. Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Cool," I said brightly. The twins looked at me.

"I don't think we introduced ourselves. I'm Fred Weasley," said Fred.

"And I'm George," said George. "People tell us we're identical, but we don't really see the resemblance. Who're you?"

"Kailey," I said, smiling.

"Well, hello Kailey," said George, making a mock bow. I laughed.

"And this is our brother, Ron." Said Fred, "Well, we'll see you guys later."

"Bye," said the boys.

"See you," I said, as the door shut again.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron asked suddenly.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"Told you so," I said, smiling at Harry.

Ron looked confused.

"He asked me how many times people were going to ask him who he was." I explained.

"Oh --- well, I um…thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes." Defended Ron, "Do you really have the--"

"The scar?" I filled in, and Ron nodded.

Harry lifted his bangs and Ron stared.

"So that's where –?"

"Yeah,"

"Wicked,"

"But I don't remember what happened."

"Nothing?"

"Just a load of green light."

"Whoa,"

We all stopped talking again and faced different directions.

"Are all of your family wizards?" asked Harry suddenly, his face full of interest.

"I think so," said Ron, frowning slightly trying to remember. "I think my mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we don't talk about him."

"My dad's an accountant." I said suddenly.

"Really? What's the deal with your parents?"

"Both muggles, and, as far as I know, I'm the first witch in the family in a few generations at least."

"And you live with muggles too, don't you Harry, at least that's what I've heard."

"Yeah,"

"What're they like?" asked Ron.

"Horrible,"

I stared, "Horrible?"

"Well, at least the Dursleys are. I'd rather have three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron, kinda gloomily, "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. Do you have any siblings, Kailey?"

"Yeah, a little brother," I said. "Two words: not fun."

"Better one than five," said Ron.

"Or none," said Harry.

"I'd rather have a sister to a brother."

"No you wouldn't," said Ron, shaking his head. "Sisters are worse."

"Oh, really?" I said smiling.

Ron's ears turned bright pink. "Oh, well, obviously not all sisters…"

"I think I'd prefer an older sister to a younger brother though,"

"No, cause then you never get anything new. And you're never the first one to do stuff. Like my brothers, Bill and Charlie have already left Hogwarts. Bill works for Gringotts doing stuff in Egypt. And Charlie studies dragons in Romania. But Bill was head boy, and Charlie was the captain of the Quidditch team, and now Percy is a prefect and Fred and George are really funny and everybody likes them. And I'm supposed to be as good as all of them, but it doesn't even matter cause I'm just doing the same stuff they did, even with their old stuff! I mean I've got Bill's robes, Charlie's wand, and Percy's rat."

"Yeah, but at least you know what you're getting into. You've got a better idea than us as to what's going on." I said as Ron pulled out the rat.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." He said looking at the fat rodent. "This is Scabbers, and, as you can see, he barely ever wakes up."

"That's nice," I said leaning away from the rat.

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, looks I didn't like. Then Harry said, smiling, "Are you afraid of Scabbers?"

"What? Afraid? No don't – don't be – Get him out of my face!"

Ron sat back down laughing along with Harry.

"It isn't funny!" That only made them laugh harder. I glared at them before my face turned into cold fear, "Oh my God! Look! Lee's spider got loose!" I shouted pointing.

Ron jumped a foot and a half in the air, banging his head on the luggage rack. Harry glared at the spot that I was pointing at.

"That was too easy!" I said cracking up.

"How did you know I didn't like spiders?" said Ron, rubbing his head.

"Lucky guess," I said trying to calm myself down. I looked at Scabbers again. "I suppose I'll have to get used to seeing rats though?"

"No, most people have owls. Percy got an owl for becoming a prefect but they couldn't – I mean I got Scabbers."

Ron's ears turned pink again, and he looked out the window.

"What's wrong with not being able to afford an owl?" Harry asked, "I used to have to wear my cousin's old stuff. It's a minor miracle I didn't disappear in his shirts and pants, or blow away like a sail in a gust of wind. Let me tell you, my cousin is no where near my size."

Ron smiled at this and his ears were a normal color now.

"One year they forgot my birthday even existed, and for Christmas one time I got a piece of scotch tape, and it was only because Dudley had broken my glasses again."

I was trying not to smile now; it wasn't that Harry wasn't trying to be funny. I just felt mean smiling about the things he was saying.

"…I had no idea I was a wizard before Hagrid and Kailey showed up. I didn't even know that my parents had been murdered by Voldemort--"

Ron gasped.

"What?"

"You-said-You-Know-Who's-name!" Ron said, very quickly.

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, I just didn't know that you shouldn't say his name." Said Harry, shaking his head again, "I'll bet…I'll bet that I'm worst in the class."

"No you won't, Harry." I said, "You're not the only one who didn't know that they were a wizard…or witch." I added as an afterthought.

A few moments later we heard a clattering outside. The door slid open and a jolly witch stood there with a food cart. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

Harry and I leapt to our feet, but Ron said, "My mum made sandwiches…"

We went into the corridor and looked at the cart. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Hmm…what should I get?" I muttered to myself. _Well, I'm defiantly going to have Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans…but what else to get…?_

Harry went all out and asked for some of everything, paying a total of eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

"I'll take some of those Bertie Bott's and umm…Chocolate Frogs…Cauldron Cakes…and I'll try the Pumpkin Pasties, please."

"There you are dear. Now that'll be nine Sickles and three Knuts."

"Thank you, very much."

I walked back into the compartment, finding my seat full of Harry's sweets.

"Shove over," I said to Ron, "My seat has been invaded upon." I said jokingly.

He moved over while staring at his sandwich. "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"I'll swap you," said Harry, holding out a pasty.

"You don't want this…"

"Go on, Ron, its Harry asking you isn't it?"

Harry and Ron and I split the treats. I decided to dump my stuff onto the seat with Harry, lest the chocolate frogs melt. I kept the jelly beans, though.

"These aren't _real _frogs are they?" said Harry holding up a chocolate frog.

"Nah, it's just a spell. Besides it's the card you want."

"Card of what?"

"Each pack's got a famous witch or wizard. You can collect the cards and trade em and stuff. I've got about 500 myself."

"Wow, that's a lot of chocolate." I said taking another from the pile.

Harry opened his package and the frog hopped right out.

"Get it quick!" I said laughing as Harry lunged at it and missed. We chased it around the compartment before it hopped out of the window. "Nice one Harry." I said still laughing.

"Well, who'd you get on your card?"

"So this is Dumbledore." Said Harry, looking at the back of the card to read the info on Dumbledore.

Ron watched as I opened my box, very carefully.

"You ready to catch this bad boy if he gets by me, Ron?" I asked looking up.

"Yeah, I'm ready." He said staring at the box.

"He's gone!" Harry said, just as I opened the box, which caused me and Ron to both jump, allowing my frog to escape.

"Harry," I moaned, "Look what you've done!"

"But, Dumbledore is gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron, trying to corner the frog.

"Yeah," I said, "That'd be boring – Gotcha!"

"Well, in muggle pictures, the people just, ya know, stay put."

"They do? Wow," said Ron, sitting back down on his seat.

"Oh, I don't think I can eat it!" I said holding the little frog.

"Why not? It's just chocolate,"

"But, it's still moving and everything."

"Then knock it out,"

"That's mean!"

They both just shrugged and shook their heads.

"Here, Harry, you take it, you lost your other one."

I handed him the frog, "Here, we'll all split it."

He and Ron held the frog down and ripped off the legs.

"Here you go, Kailey, frogs' legs."

"Ahh…that's so mean." The legs had stopped moving though.

"When you take them apart, the spell stops working." Said Ron, eating his share of the frog.

"Nice," I said accepting the legs. _I will never like French foods…_

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_**That's all I've got for this chapter! Sorry it's soo long, but it would've been longer if I'd kept going! I'll try to get the next chap. Up really soon! So remember to review! (and no emails, PLEASE) THNX:-D :- 8-D**_


	6. The Rat and A Nasty Little

CHAPTER SIX

_**Thank you so much to my nine reviewers! I hope that I can continue to receive good advice!(Reviews from A Fourth Friend, discontinued and revised) So please continue reading and reviewing:-D **_

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Ron was clearing his throat, holding his wand ready, when the compartment door opened a second time. It was Neville accompanied by Hermione this time.

"Have any of you seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She said looking around the compartment.

"We've already told him we haven't--" Ron began.

"Are you going to do magic?" Hermione cut in.

Ron mumbled something that sounded like a small "yes".

"Well go on then, let's see it." It sounded like a direct order.

Ron cleared his throat again.

"_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."_

Nothing. Scabbers continued to lay there oblivious to everything around him.

"Hmm…Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, if it is, it's not very good is it?"

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, and then turned to me as if I could shed some light on the subject.

"Hello Hermione," I said interrupting her, mid-stream.

"Oh, Kailey! Hi!"

Ron, Harry, and Neville were now staring at me.

"How was your stay in the Leaky Caldron?"

"Interesting," I had seen a hag, loads of goblins, and I think I glimpsed a gnome by one of the gardens in the Alley.

"Have you tried any spells?"

"No,"

"Well, I did. But they all worked out well for me. Would you like to see one?"

Without waiting for an answer she sat across from Harry, pointing her wand directly between his eyes, which immediately widened.

"_Reparo,"_

The tape on Harry's glasses disappeared.

Hermione gasped, "You're Harry Potter! Wow it's so nice to meet you. Did you know that you're in three different books?"

"Really?" said Harry raising his eyebrows.

"Yes! I thought I might meet you someday. Kailey mentioned you in Diagon Alley. But I don't know who you are." It was a fact, but not a question.

"Ron Weasley," said Ron. "Who are you again?"

"I'm Hermione Granger." Said Hermione, "do any of you know which house you want to be in? I want to be in Gryffindor…or maybe Ravenclaw…Anyway, we'd better go find Neville's toad. See you all later."

And she was gone.

"Hmph. Stupid spell, I knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry, still kind of dazed looking.

"Gryffindor, and so were my parents. I hope I am too…it'll probably be a big disappointment if I'm not, though I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad though."

"What about you Harry?" I asked.

"Hmm…I don't know. I guess anything but Slytherin sounds good at this point."

I nodded.

"Hey Ron,"

"Yeah?"

"What do your brothers do? You know, now that they've left Hogwarts and everything."

Ron sighed, "Charlie is studying dragons in Romania, and Bill is in Africa doing something for Gringotts."

"When did he go to Africa?" I asked.

"I don't know…sometime in early August." _HA! I knew it was him…_

"Hey, did you guys hear about Gringotts?"

"That's the bank right?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, and someone tried to rob it. A high security vault!"

"Wow! Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such a big deal!"

"Nothing happened? Do they have any idea at all?" _This could be problematic…_

Ron shook his head. "Dad says it must have been someone highly trained in the Dark Arts to get away with something like that. And everyone is scared You-Know-Who is behind it."

"You know, I don't think that people should call him 'You-Know-Who', it's too confusing for me." I said, "I mean what would you say if you were talking about some random girl who just walked into your compartment? You would say 'I'm so annoyed.' And the person would be like 'by whom?' and then you'd reply 'You-Know-Who' and it would just be like way too confusing for me." I said all of this very quickly.

"No," said Ron. "People know when you're talking about Him."

I shrugged, and opened my book.

As Ron opened his mouth, I said, "Neither of us has a Quidditch team."

"How did you…?"

"Never mind that, you should fill Harry in on the subject while you still have time."

I had a funny feeling that Ron and Harry had exchanged yet another look of confusion. _I probably shouldn't bring this stuff up…_

Ron and Harry were still talking when the door opened again. _Finally, he can get a piece of my mind…_

"There is a rumor that Harry Potter is in this compartment, is it true? Are you Harry Potter?"

"Yes," said Harry, eyeing Crabbe and Goyle.

They looked like bodyguards, without the suits and fancy sunglasses. All they really had were the muscles. _Naturally, they have what's important in a fist-fight…_

"This is Crabbe and Goyle." Said Malfoy, "and I'm Malfoy. Draco, Malfoy."

"You know, for someone who dislikes muggle-borns and muggles, you sure seem to like quoting them." I said remembering watching James Bond once with my dad.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Malfoy said, cocking one eyebrow.

"Never mind," _it's not as if you'd care…_

Ron sniggered at Malfoy's dumbfounded expression, which allowed him to receive some abuse.

"Think it's funny? Well, you would. There's no need for you to tell me your name. Everybody knows that the Weasley's all have red hair, freckles and so many children they had to rent part of the Leaky Cauldron out permanently." Ron's ears turned bright, fire engine red. "You'll so find out that some wizards and some wizarding families are better than the rest, Potter. You don't want to be making friends with people like the Weasleys or with people like her…"

"You slimy, little--" The train hit a bump and I fell back over (I had jumped to my feet).

"You see? She can't even stand up right. I can help you make friends with the right sort."

"I think I'll be alright on my own." Said Harry, as he and Ron helped me up off of the floor.

"Pity. If you keep up that attitude, you'll end up just like your dear old mum and dad. Plus, their influence," he nodded at me and Ron, "will defiantly affect your image."

The compartment suddenly seem to shrink in half: we had all stood up.

"Say that again," Ron challenged through gritted teeth.

"Oh, what tempers we have here." Said Malfoy, "Do you really think you can take on us?" Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles. _Ugh, I hate that noise…I can't wait to learn enough magic to take on their sorry little…_

"Unless you leave now," Harry blurted out. He did look slightly convincing, I had to admit.

"Hmm…no, I don't think so. You see you seem to still have something to eat, and we're hungry. Aren't we boys?"

Goyle's fat hand reached out for my Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. In the next few moments, I was the only one who didn't bother moving. I decided to sit down, not wanting to get squished if anyone fell.

"ARGHH!" Goyle yelled, jumping back and shaking his hand, clearly distressed. Scabbers clung on tightly, though, and he looked like a grey blur just moving up and down, like a metronome going 300 ticks every two seconds.

Crabbe backed out of the compartment as fast as he could. In the process he stomped on Malfoy's foot, who then nearly jumped out of his skin, thinking it was a rat. His yell caused even more distress for Crabbe who then fell over, banging his head on a wall. I was surprised that it didn't make a more hollow sound, actually.

Suddenly Scabbers went flying past my head, hitting the window. The three of them scrambled out of the compartment as fast as they could. By now I was cracking up so hard that I had slipped off my seat onto the floor again. _Those idiots!..._

Ron and Harry were now crowded around Scabbers, as the compartment door slid open again.

"What's been going on in here?" Hermione demanded from me, I was still laughing.

"I think he's been knocked out…" said Ron, ignoring Hermione's entrance.

"You…ha-ha…sure?" I couldn't stop laughing. _I've never seen somebody's mouth look as wide as Malfoy's did when he screamed…!_

"Ahh no! I don't believe this!"

"What?" said Hermione, looking concerned.

"He's fallen back asleep! Stupid rat…" Ron laid him back down on the seat where he'd been hiding. "Can we help you?" he said hearing Hermione's impatient "tut".

"You all had better get your robes on soon. I've just been to see the conductor and he says that we'll be there soon."

"Do you mind leaving then?"

"…and people are behaving so childishly in the halls."

"Yes, now, do you mind?"

She left and Ron shut the door.

"Uhh…Ron? You wanna let me out too?" His ears turned red and he let me out into the hallway.

I saw Hermione's retreating back down the hallway.

"Hey, Hermione! Wait up!"

She turned around and waited there as I ran to her.

"Do you know where the bathrooms are?"

"Yes, I'll take you to them."

"Thanks,"

We started down the hallway.

"Why are you hanging out with that Ron?"

"Because he's really nice. Harry is too," I said. "You should get to know them. I think you'd like them both a lot." _Plus it's never too early to start a friendship…_

"I don't know. I don't think that they'd give me a chance." Hermione said, shaking her head sadly.

"Well, I'm going to hang out with them. It's your choice if you join us or not."

**_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

I got back to our compartment to find that it was locked.

"Hey, Kailey! Let us help you!" The twins were back.

"I've wanted to do this for awhile." Said the other, with an evil grin. "Stand back now,"

"Are you sure this is a--" too late. The door exploded open with a deafening bang, and I'm not sure if it came from the wands.

"What the Bloody Hell are you two doing?" Ron was on the ground, and this time it was Harry rubbing his head.

"You locked poor Kailey out."

"We were just helping her get back in."

They both stood there, grinning. "Let this be a lesson to you, Ronniekins, and to Harry as well: You should never lock a poor, defenseless girl out of a compartment on a train."

"Yeah, you never know what kinds of loonies she'll run into."

"Yeah, like us!"

They walked away, leaving Ron to swear under his breath.

"We just forgot to unlock it." Said Harry, "Why didn't you knock?"

"I was about to when the twins showed up." I said, laughing slightly.

A few minutes later, the lanterns in the hallways lit up. The train began to slow down from it's feverish pace.

A voice sounded all through the train saying, "Welcome to Hogwarts. Please leave all of your luggage on the train. It will be brought up to the castle for you."

"Oh my God! Oh my God! We're here! We're really here!" _Ohh! I can't wait to see the castle, and the ghosts, and the Great Hall, and the…_

"Calm down, Kailey." Said Harry, smiling at my enthusiasm.

"'Calm down'? What do you mean 'calm down'? You must be even more excited than I am! Aren't you guys excited?"

"Well, of course we are," said Ron.

"But I think you're a little overenthusiastic."

"Eh? Well, I guess, maybe just a little…But we're at Hogwarts!"

"She's not going to calm down, is she?"

"Probably not."

_You two just wait and see what's in store at this place…!_

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_**Thus ends Chapter 6! I hope you all enjoyed! And please don't forget to review! Chapter 7 will be up ASAP:-D :-P :-) **_


	7. A Friendly Competition

CHAPTER SEVEN

**Crabbe: Draco?**

**Malfoy: What is it you bumbling idiot?**

**Crabbe: Who owns Harry Potter, the Sorting Hat, and the rest of us?**

**Malfoy: Rowling. J.K. Rowling.**

**Crabbe: Oh. Then who owns Kailey?**

**Malfoy: I don't know! Some crazy writer!**

_**I felt it was time to put in another disclaimer…just to be safe! Thank you to my reviewers! I love to go online and find out that I've had more reviews! Keep 'em coming! All right…now we all know that 7 is the magic number…let us continue on with the story…:-D**_

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the chatter of the students.

"Hi, Hagrid!" I shouted over the noise.

"Kailey, Harry," Hagrid said, nodding. "How was the rest o' yer summers?"

"Very interesting,"

"Quieter," said Harry. "It was a nice change actually."

"Glad ter hear it. All right now, is this all we have fer firs' years? Okay, then, follow me!" Hagrid led us over to the edge of the lake, were dozens of little boats awaited us in the icy black water. "No more'n four to a boat."

"Kailey!" Hermione walked over as Ron, Harry and I entered our boat.

"Hi, Hermione!" I said brightly. "Why don't you join us?" I asked, crushing Ron's foot as he groaned.

"Umm…are… are you sure it's alright, I umm…I don't want to…interrupt--"

"Nonsense. We don't own the boat or anything." She smiled and got in the boat. _I wonder if she's ever had any friends before…_

"Forward!" Hagrid shouted when everyone was in a boat.

There was a gigantic tug, and all the boats seemed to jerk to life. The smooth sailing brought ripples to the lake, causing the reflections to look like those in a mirror house. All distorted and so on.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' glimpse o' Hogwarts in a sec." Hagrid yelled over his shoulder.

Somebody in a boat in front of us was leaning over the edge of his boat.

"Hey! Lean back or you'll--" _Too late…_

The boy hit the water head first, but the boats kept going.

"Help! Help! I can't swim!" He was floundering in the water, splashing water everywhere. "Help me! Somebody!"

"Someone grab him!" Hagrid shouted from the front of the fleet.

I reached over to grab him, and next thing I knew, I was in the lake. Unfortunately, I had been right about it being icy.

I gasped for breath when I surfaced. Immediately, my teeth began to chatter.

"What the Hell are you doing?" I shouted.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" it was Neville.

"It's ok, just stop trying to use me as a float." I said, a bit more quietly, "We'll both sink."

"But I can't swim."

"Okay, just help me kick then."

"Are you sure you know what you're--"

"Neville, I've been on the swim team for three years. I think I can handle it." I started kicking flutter kick, and used one-armed butterfly. _This has to look really pathetic…I hate one-armed drills…_It took a minute or so, but I caught up with Neville's boat and his boat mates (Seamus and Dean) helped him back in.

"Wanna bend the four-to-a-boat rule?" Seamus asked me, offering a hand.

"Yeah, you look freezing." Dean added.

"Nah, I'll just make my way back to my own boat." I said. _This is probably the last time I'll get to swim for a while anyways…_

Just then there was a loud sound of admiration and astonishment. I turned around, mid-stroke and swallowed two huge mouthfuls of water. Choking, I looked up. The castle was enormous! I stared at it, forgetting that the boats were still moving.

"Kailey! Hurry up and get back in here!"

I started, and sprinted over to the boat. Harry and Ron both heaved me out of the water, with little difficulty, except for the fact that I was in a skirt.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, as both Harry and Ron offered me their cloaks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, pushing the cloaks away. "I don't think the teachers would like it very much if four students walked in with wet cloaks, guys."

"You sure?" Harry asked.

"Yes,"

"Alright, suit yourself," said Ron, replacing his cloak.

"And here I was, thinking you were acting like a gentlemen," said Hermione clearly unimpressed.

"I was! She was the one who didn't want it!"

I sniggered, and covered my mouth. I wanted to laugh so badly.

"Do you think that they'll ever get along?" Harry whispered.

I just shrugged. _Everyone enjoys a surprise…_

We made it to the other side of the lake (Ron and Hermione still bickering quietly) with no more exciting little detours. By now I was shivering a little bit. Alright, I was shaking like a leaf, well, not as bad as Neville. We got out of the boats and Neville was called back by Hagrid. Now holding Trevor, and soaked to the skin, Neville was already being laughed.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"No problem, I needed something to wake me up." I said smiling at him.

He nodded and turned away following the others up the narrow path. We reached the bottom of the stone steps that led to a whole new life and began to climb them.

"One, two, three,"

"Kailey, what are you doing?"

"Ah, you made me lose count!"

"You were on seven,"

"Thanks, Hermione," I wanted to know how many steps there were. "Ten, eleven, twelve…" there ended up being thirty steps.

"Why did you do that again?" Harry asked staring at me with one eyebrow raised.

"I dunno, I thought it'd be interesting to see if my theory was correct."

"Your theory?"

"Yes, but I don't think it was."

"What was your theory?"

"That I could get at least one person interested enough to count with me for no apparent reason."

"I dunno what you mean 'it didn't work', Harry seems pretty interested," laughed Ron jokingly.

We entered the entrance hall, where we could see all of the stair cases, some of them shifting already. It was (just like everything else had been), enormously amazing. I looked around and standing next to the oak doors, were the four hour glasses. One filled with rubies, one with emeralds, and another with blue topaz, and the fourth contained citrine (a yellow gem). I looked around in front of us to see where our group was headed. My eyes found a witch in emerald green dress robes and a slanted hat.

Professor McGonagall awaited our arrival at the top of the first flight of stairs.

"Good evenin' Professor," said Hagrid.

"Good evening, Hagrid, I will take over from here," Hagrid gave us the thumbs up and walked away. Professor McGonagall gestured for everyone to follow her across the floor and in front of two more huge doors.

"Now," she said, spinning around to face us all. "In a moment you all shall be sorted into one of the four houses," she sounded very business like, and very strict. "They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff," she paused for a moment, and her eyes rested on me, "and Slytherin. Kailey Macauley?" she said it so suddenly that we all (Harry, Ron, Hermione, and me) jumped.

"Yes, Professor?" I said, shaking more out of nerves than cold now.

"Professor Dumbledore would like a quick word."

"Okay," I said, following her, receiving strange looks for everyone around me.

Professor McGonagall led me down the hallway a little ways and we reached an open door. She went inside it, and I followed. There, sitting on a chair, sat Professor Albus Dumbledore.

"Miss Macauley, what a pleasure it is to meet you," he said standing up and extending his hand. I shook it, rather feebly, in a complete state of shock. _Oh my God! Forget shaking hands with Harry! This is Dumbledore…! _

"Did you enjoy your little swim in the lake?"

I smiled, "Yes, sir, it was refreshing."

He chuckled.

"Now, Hagrid told me that you required no explanation as to what Hogwarts is. Is that right?"

"Ye…yes, sir, I already knew…what Hogwarts is, I mean,"

"Now, you are from a muggle family, are you not?" rhetorical question, "so I was inspired. How is it that you already know so much of our world?"

"Oh…uhh…well, it's kind of complicated…" _What do I say? What am I supposed to tell him? That I read about it in a fictional book written by a muggle? Truth…yeah…tell him the truth… _"There's this book series that I really enjoy. It…well…it basically describes this whole place and all the people inside and what goes on here."

"I see…Does it have a particular person which it follows?"

"Yes,"

"Would you care to tell me?"

"Well, sir, I would it's just…umm…I don't think that this particular individual needs to know anything about their future just yet. I mean…isn't that what divination is for?"

Dumbledore smiled, "You are right of course, no human should know too much about their own future." I exhaled. "But, I would still like to know. You could give me a few of the names that this book involves."

"Umm…well…there's you of course. And Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Trelawney, Sinistra…uhh…Madams Pomfrey (she's in there a lot), and Hooch, and Pince. And for students there's the Weasleys, the Patil twins, Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and well… sir, I know a ton of people."

"Could I see this book?"

_See the book? See the book! Oh no! What am I supposed to say "no"? I can't tell the headmaster "no" on my first night of school! But I can't show him the books either! Not now at least…!_

"Umm…I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think that's a good idea…I mean…I…uh…"

"It's all right. I didn't expect you to just hand over a book to some crazy old man. That was merely one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you tonight.

"Doubtlessly, you have been wondering why you aren't attending an American school."

"Yes, sir, that has been bugging me for a while."

"Well, it is because your magic relatives are still alive."

"What?" This made no sense, "What has that got to do with anything, Professor?"

"We thought it would be nice if you had the chance to figure out who they were."

"Figure it out, sir?"

"Yes, it seems a fair trade."

"Oh, you mean I tell you what's in the book, and you tell me who I'm related to?"

"Yes, that seems to be a good idea, doesn't it?"

"It does, sir," I said smiling, "I love a good mystery."

"Alright, let the games begin," he said smiling, his milky blue eyes twinkling.

He walked me back over to the other first years, who were still waiting in the hall. They were all looking upwards at the ghosts floating over head. _Ghosts! Oh my God! Will the surprises ever end…?_

Dumbledore went through the doors, though nobody seemed to notice my return, not with all the ghosts occupying their attention. I went through the crowd and found Ron and Harry, but no Hermione.

"Where'd Hermione go?" I asked tapping them on the shoulder to get their attention.

"Huh? Oh, I dunno." Said Ron, still looking at the ghosts. Harry hadn't even turned around. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Harry? Are you okay?"

"Wha--? Oh, you're back," He seemed to snap out of a trance. "What did Dumbledore want?"

"Oh," _Hmm…now what do I tell them…? _"He just wanted to welcome me as the first American to enter Hogwarts."

"Oh, well, that was nice of him."

"Yeah, it was." I said closing the subject. _Defiantly no need to tell them anything about the books…_

"Alright, move along now," Professor McGonagall was back. "We're ready for you all."

We walked into the Great Hall. It was breathtaking. Thousands of candles were being levitated high above our heads. We walked up a row between two of the four tables. The chatter around the hall was slowing and faces were now following us all as we walked towards the staff table (Dumbledore now among them).

"Do you think it'll be hard?" Harry whispered in my ear.

"What's so hard about putting a hat on your head?"

"Hat? Who said anything about a hat?" Ron asked.

I began to answer when suddenly; the hall was filled with singing.

"…_You can keep your bowlers black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head _

_The Sorting hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning, _

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin _

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

"That hat," I shouted over the applause.

"Now, when I call your name, you shall come forward and I will place the Sorting Hat upon your head, and your house will be chosen."

"I'm gonna kill Fred, he was going on about how much it hurt."

The first to be called up was Hannah Abbott, and within a moment she was sorted into Hufflepuff. The table right to us cheered loudly as she rushed over to join them. She was joined shortly by Susan Bones. Terry Boot was the first Ravenclaw, while Lavender Brown was the first Gryffindor. Millicent Bulstrode was made a Slytherin. The Slytherins looked like a sort of dreary bunch; rather than smile at Millicent, they sort of sneered at her. After a few more people, it was Hermione's turn.

She appeared out of the front of the group. _I wonder why she left Ron and Harry…maybe I don't have to wonder… _The hat was sitting on her head, and in about thirty seconds time she was declared a Gryffindor.  
"Longbottom, Neville," Now the pressure was mounting up. My heart rate was increasing, like it did before a swim race. There was a strange ringing in my ears, and Neville seemed to take forever to sort. The hat finally chose Gryffindor, and he ran off the stool, still wearing the hat. _Am I next…? Should I be nervous...? What if I really am not supposed to be here…? _

"Macauley, Kailey," Professor McGonagall's voice rang through my head. I walked feebly towards the stool.

I could feel the eyes of the other students on my back, and saw them when I turned around to sit on the stool. Some of them (most of them really) looked bored, and seemed to want to begin the feast. I looked at the other first years, and they all looked up, pale faced in the candle light. Then everything went dark.

"Hmm…" said the Sorting Hat's voice in my head, "Hmm…oh, where shall I put you now? You have some very valuable information in your head, don't you? No, that wouldn't bold well if I were to place you in Slytherin. No, Slytherin is defiantly not an option for you!"

_Well, that makes the choice easier, not that I would have let you put me in Slytherin…_

"A good point. So, where to put you? You do seem like a loyal friend, but not trusting enough to explain your full situation. Not yet anyway. That seems to rule out Hufflepuff. So…not Hufflepuff nor Slytherin…two houses to choose from…hmm…"

_That's okay… I don't really like to wear yellow anyway…_

"It's not about the color!"

_Sorry…I'm just nervous…and excited…_

"Hmm…no offense, but I don't think that you're quiet cut-out to be a Ravenclaw…You don't focus enough in school to do that, at least not by what I have here to judge."

_So I'm a…_

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. I exhaled, realizing that I'd been holding my breath the whole time. The Gryffindor table cheered, and I went over to sit with them.

_Gryffindor! I'm a Gryffindor…!_

I sat across from Hermione, who was next to Percy. We exchanged grins and looked back up at the hat as Morag MacDougal was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Malfoy, Draco," I watched the hat as it shrieked Slytherin about an inch away from Malfoy's slimy head.

A whole mess of people later (including some confusion with the Patil twins) it was Harry's turn. The hall went from completely silent, to buzzing with whispers. One boy leaned towards me and asked "Isn't that the boy you were hanging out with in the train station?"

I nodded in response.

"Wow! Hey, Katie, Angelina, Alicia! She know Harry Potter!" I looked over at the boy who was speaking and recognized him immediately.

"Oliver Wood?"

"You know my name?" Wood replied his eyes wide.

"Yeah, you're the Gryffindor Quidditch captain!" He nodded, and then we looked over to see if Harry was on the stool. He sat under the hat for a few minutes. The whole time the hall was abuzz with excited students.

"Kailey, is it? Where do you reckon he'll be put?"

"I'm thinking that he would look good in green clad," a collective gasp, "but there's no chance he'd be accepted there. It'll be Gryffindor."

"Do you really--?"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted with cheers. Hermione and I were the only ones who remained sitting. The twins started shouting "We've got Potter!" over and over again. Harry shook hands with a load of people before plopping down next to me, and across from Nearly-Headless Nick.

"I told you, you wouldn't be a Hufflepuff," I said laughing at Harry's relieved face. He just nodded and sort of slumped down over his plate.

Finally it was Ron's turn. His freckles stood out over his petrified skin. He sat down on the stool and the hat made contact with his head.

"AH! Another Weasley!" the hat shouted, causing the whole hall to jump a foot in the air. "I know exactly where to put you! GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry and I laughed as Ron's face returned to a normal color.

"Kailey? How often does the hat shout out your name to the entire hall?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because, you seem to know what's going on around here."

"Well, if you trust my judgment, I'd have to say…that just about never happens to people."

"Great," Ron looked down at his plate as Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin.

"I thought it was funny,"

"Oh, yeah, a real riot that was,"

Professor Dumbledore stood up and the whole of the hall was silent once more. He had his arms open wide, as if hoping to get some great big, group hug.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now, we all know that there is a time for speeches, so before we begin our feast I have a few words,"

The students all groaned anticipating a longwinded speech on how the school runs.

"Here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Flubber! Oddment! Tweak! Dig in!"

The hall erupted once more in cheers of delight.

"I think that was the best speech that I have ever heard!" I said, clapping enthusiastically.

"You didn't think that was strange?"

"Who cares? It was short!"

_If only all teachers could understand the students short attention span for long winded speeches about rules…so boring…Hogwarts, here I am…!_

_**And so ends chapter 7! I'm sorry that it was so long! I just wanted to get through the sorting! Thank you to my reviewers! And PLEASE! Don't forget to REVIEW! Thank-you very much! 8 will be here soon:-D :- :-)**_


	8. The American and the Gum

CHAPTER EIGHT

**_Here comes chap. 8! It may be a little long…I don't know I haven't written it yet! Let's go! P.S. I'm so, so sorry this is taking so long!_**

* * *

There was so much food on the table, so many choices! _Hmm…what shall I have to eat…? _There was roast, there was turkey, chicken pot pie, potatoes (baked and mashed), and so many other things that didn't even look familiar to me.

Being the American that I am, I chose fries.

"Is that all your going to eat?" Hermione asked, staring.

"Of course not, this is just until I make up my mind." I took another quick scan of the table.

"Try the Yorkshire Pudding, it's great."

"Umm…that's okay; I'll just have some turkey." I served myself and asked for someone to pass the ketchup.

"You put ketchup on turkey?" said Ron, raising an eyebrow.

"Ron, I put ketchup on a lot of things."

"Like what?"

"Most meats--"

"I thought you said that we were cruel to the chocolate frog?" said Harry.

"That was different,"

"How?"

"That frog was still hopping!"

"But it was never living."

"Shut-up, you two." I said smiling slightly.

From there everyone started talking about their families. _Maybe I will actually be able to figure this out on my own…it can't be that hard…can it…?_

"Me Dads a muggle, but Mums a witch," said Seamus, "It was a bit nasty when he found out."

I smiled to myself; it was one thing to read about this place. Defiantly another to live it.

"My gram d-d-didn't think I was magic at all for the longest t-t-time." Neville said, his hair still dripping. My feet were numb with cold, and my hair looked black in my lap when I looked at it, still all wet.

"They thought you weren't a wizard?" asked Hermione, "How could that be?"

Neville shrugged, "I guess that sometimes kids born to wizard families don't end up being wizards themselves."

"Oh, I would hate that, it must feel horrible." _Ask Filch…_

Everyone shared their various stories of their families. Nobody asked Harry about his family, seeing as everyone knew the story.

"Kailey, why haven't you said anything?" Asked Neville, no longer shivering (we were onto deserts by now).

"Huh? Oh…I dunno…" I had spaced out when Hermione had been asked to launch into a full explanation of the concept of a computer.

"Well? What's your story?" Dean said, rather impatiently.

"There isn't much to tell. I've got one little brother (he's 8) and both of my parents work."

"Yeah, but are you muggle-born?" asked Lavender.

"And where are you from? You have a funny accent."

"Thanks, Seamus; I think yours is weird too."

"Sorry," he said, looking at his plate.

"Yeah, I'm muggle-born. I'm from America, though."

"Oh, really?" Parvati asked, "Which state?"

I opened my mouth to say, when Dumbledore stood up and the hall fell silent.

"Now, just a few words more, now that our stomachs have been satisfied: First years should know that the Forbidden Forest (as I'm sure you can guess) is forbidden to all of our students. All of them." I gave a look to the Weasley twins, who both exchanged satisfied looks. "I've also been asked to tell you all that magic should not be used in the corridors between classes. A full list of items that are not approved of has been posted on Mr. Filch's door.

"Quidditch trials shall be held in the second week of term, and anybody interested in playing (for their _own_ houses) should see Madame Hooch.

"And most important, you are to know that the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is strictly forbidden, unless you wish to die a most excruciatingly painful death."

A few people laughed at this, and I heard Harry ask Percy if Dumbledore was serious.

"Why would he joke about something like that?" I whispered to the others, whom were all questioning Dumbledore's little statement.

"Now, let us all sing our school song!"

"Oh, what utter joy I have for singing," I said with a sarcastic smile, as Dumbledore flicked his wand and the lyrics transformed themselves into legible words.

"Everyone pick your favorite tune!"

Rather than singing, everyone shouted in pitches so off key, that I wanted to cover my ears. I chose to read the song at full speed, finishing as quickly as possible. The last to finish were the twins, singing a torturously slow funeral march. Dumbledore dismissed us and Percy took immediate control.

"First years, follow me, and keep up."

We took all sorts of passage ways behind tapestries and up small stairwells. _How am I ever going to find my way around this place…?_

The pictures were less impressive than I thought they'd be. It was more like there were dozens of televisions plastered into the wall. We went up a few more stairs and found ourselves at a sudden halt.

There was a loud cackling as a mess of walking sticks began pelting themselves at Percy.

"Peeves," I whispered, so quietly that I didn't think that anybody heard me.

"Peeves, a poltergeist," said Percy over his shoulder. _Ha, I was right…_ "Peeves show yourself!" the poltergeist blew a long, loud raspberry as he snapped into view.

He looked like a clown; actually he looked more like It, with a bigger mouth, and no make-up.

"Oh, well what do we have here?" he cackled, "It's the ickle-firstiekins! How delightfully fun!"

He swooped down and everybody ducked. Then he pulled a wad of gum from out of one of his pockets.

"Now, who shall be first this year? Who, who, whoie! Who?" he cackled again, as all of the girls covered their heads. "If only there was a little blondie…hmm…how about—YOU!" he chucked the gum at Hermione who was standing in front of me. She ducked just in time. I didn't.

"Peeves, you ass!" The gum had landed right above my left eye.

"Ohhhh! What a temper this one has!"

"Temper?" I said drawing my wand, "Do you want to see temper?" I said taking aim, without knowing what I was going to do. _Do spells work on poltergeists…? Wait! I remember one…_

"Now, now, gummy face, what are you possibly going to do with that?"

"_Waddiwasi_!" the gum detached itself from my forehead, and struck Peeves in between the eyes. Not hard, but it worked. Peeves zoomed away, cursing under his breath.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

"I thought you said you were muggle-born?"

"Cool,"

"How did you _know_?"

"Miss Macauley, you heard what Professor Dumbledore said about magic in the hallway! I'd take points from Gryffindor, but seeing as I don't think we have any yet, you'll get off this time with a warning." Said Percy, pointing his finger at me.

"Ahh lay off Perce that was awesome." Said Ron.

"Humph," Percy walked back to the front of the group. "Now, follow me and please try to keep up."

He set off at a much quicker pace than we had been going, giving us no oppurtunity to talk.

_It's probably better that we can't talk...I shouldn't have done that...I sound like Hagrid...!_

We practically ran down the last corridor, which contained the painting of the Fat Lady, in her silky pink dress.

"Password?" her voice was rich and heavily accented.

"Caput Draconis,"

She nodded and swung open to admit us.

Inside the room, everything looked crimson. The couches and chairs in front of the fire looked so soft, that I wanted to lay down on them right then and there. The fire was crackling happily behind the hearth, and there were two lamps above the mantle, over which was a portrait of a mountain view.

"Boys dormitories are on the right hand side of this staircase, and girls, it's the same on your left--"

"Wait! What about our stuff?" asked Seamus, tilting his head.

"If you had let me finish, I would've said all of your belongings have already been brought up!"

On that note, we headed up our respective staircases into our dorms.

"Kailey, you wanna count how many steps there are this time?" shouted Harry from the other side of the room.

"Hmm…" I turned around at the top of the stairs and counted. "There are fifteen steps."

He smiled and I turned away to open the door. Inside I found only four beds, each draped with crimson hangings, with gold lace along the edges.

"Oh, these are very nice," said Hermione coming in behind me.

I sat down on the bed with my trunk in front of it expecting to feel a soft, mushy mattress.

"I think they only look nice," I said bouncing on my bed, "Listen, this one creaks!"

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other then sat on their beds as well. Every one of them creaked if you made too much movement.

"So much for the tuition dollars," Lavender laughed.

"What do you think it'll be like?" Parvati asked, finally sitting still, "The first class I mean."

"Probably very informing," said Hermione. "Um…Kailey? What are you looking for?"

I was rummaging like crazy through my trunk. "Where is it?" I muttered, ignoring the others, "He can't have taken it!" I let out a groan of frustration, and showered my clothes onto my bed.

"Kailey isn't it a little early to be making messes?" asked Lavender, eyebrows raised.

"No, NO, NO!" it wasn't there it wasn't—"few. Gotcha."

"A book?" said Hermione. _Yeah, like you should talk…_ "That was all over a book?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Why is it so important?"

"Cuz…" I thought quickly, "Cuz my parents gave it to me for my birthday."

"Oh, really? When's your birthday?"

"April 2nd."

"Cool, mine's the 19th." Said Hermione.

"Oh, so are you turning 11 or--"

"12, I missed the cutoff, remember?"

"Oh, well the cutoff for my old school was in October, so…"

"Oh, that's right you're from America."

"Tell us more about it," said Parvati.

"Are the streets really paved with gold?"

I laughed, "No, they're paved with pavement. Any other ridiculous thoughts I can clear up?"

"I heard that the statue of liberty is green--"

"No, no, it's bronze." Said Hermione shaking her head at Parvati.

"Well, it's kinda both." They stared, "It's made of bronze, but the sea breeze turned it green. It's confusing."

Hermione wouldn't give up. "But I _read _that the statue is bronze."

"Trust me, Hermione; I've seen it up close."

That's how this conversation ended. Hermione turned around and changed into her pajamas, and Parvati, Lavender, and I followed.

* * *

The next morning I woke up bright and early. At least, that's what it felt like. Hermione had brought an alarm clock with her (it ran on batteries). It woke everyone, but her. I fell out of bed and swore loudly. Hermione, turning the clock off, apologized hastily. We all changed and went into the common room. I was just heading for the portrait, thinking that Harry and Ron had already left, when I heard my name.

"Kailey, wait for us!" They scurried down the stair case (Ron still putting a sock on, a shoe dangling from his mouth by the lace), and ran over to me.

"Ron, that's gross."

"Well Harry wouldn't carry it."

"You never asked me to!"

"Yes I did, but you ran out of the dorm because you wanted to make sure Kailey hadn't—ouch!" Harry stomped on Ron's foot.

Pretending I hadn't seen Harry stomp on Ron's foot, I said, "Let's go down to the Great Hall."

"Yeah, I'm starving," said Ron, and right on time, his stomach growled.

"I'm still kinda full,"

"You just said you wanted to go to the Great Hall!"

"Well, did I say that I was going to eat breakfast?"

"No, but you shouldn't miss breakfast, because--"

"Because it's the most important meal of the day? Yeah, I've heard all that before." I said, "Doesn't mean I won't eat later. Eating too early makes my stomach upset, though."

They shrugged and we started following the flow of students heading for their breakfast.

_**That's it for now! Again, I'm sorry it took me so long! (Things happen—and the writer's block wasn't too helpful!) I'll be as quick as possible next time! Don't forget to review! Thanx:-D :-P :- **_


	9. Classes

CHAPTER NINE

_**Thank you all so much for commenting!!! Please continue to review!!! Now, I'll say this now before I forget, if ever a time comes that I don't know a spell by its proper name DON'T KILL ME!!! I'll do my best!!! On ward to chapter 9!!!

* * *

**_

Breakfast was very interesting. At first people were just saying, "Eat, Kailey, you'll do so much better in your first day of classes if you do."

To which I responded, "I'll do just fine without breakfast."

People (mainly first years, the Weasley twins, and Lee Jordan) continued to hound me about it until the table got loud enough for Percy to come over and snap at me.

"You have to eat," he said, glaring at me through his horn-rimmed glasses.

"Is it a rule?" I replied coolly.

"Well, no, but that's--"

"Then I don't have to, do I?" He stormed away in a fuss.

"Why won't you eat breakfast?" asked Harry, who's plate was stuffed.

"I don't do breakfast."

"But why not?" He was looking at me like I was insane to deny food.

"I don't know. I just don't like to eat breakfast."

"Well, Miss Macauley, that won't do." I turned around to see a very pale waxy colored man standing above. "How will you ever survive in Potions? Unless you actually wish to land face-first into a cauldron I suggest you eat, lest I give you detention for causing such a disturbance in the Great Hall." Everything in his cold eyes was telling me that he didn't expect me to do well and, not to mention, that he didn't seem like a morning person.

"Yes, sir," _I don't like you…_Snape turned on his heel and walked back towards the teachers table.Thus ended the excitement of breakfast.

* * *

We headed for our first class: Charms. It was a very interesting first class, I must say. Professor Flitwick was about Yoda's height (two feet tall) and had very crazy Einstein hair. I had to work on not laughing when he had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. He squeaked out the role call and when he reached my name he looked up.

"So you're the American that has come to Hogwarts?"

It sounded like an accusation more than an actual fact. I nodded dumbly.

"Welcome, then, welcome! To the other side of the sea!"

I smiled oddly and he continued down the role call.

"Ha-Harry…"

"Here it comes," I whispered to Harry who was sitting next to me.

"Harry Potter?" He looked up searching around the room and looked somewhat shocked when he saw Harry raise his hand. He looked like he fell off the books (which is why the class erupted in laughter), but he had just scrambled down to shake Harry's hand.

"What an honor it is to have you in my class," He said, causing Harry's arm to shake. _Strong little guy…more like Yoda than I thought… _"You look just like your dear father. I had him in my class once, you know. Yes indeed, but you'll be following your mother's footsteps in this class I hope. Oh yes, she was very good in charms, very good."

Seeing the look on Harry's face (one of complete embarrassment) I said, "Er…Professor? Shouldn't you finish the role call now?" Harry's face showed enormous relief when Flitwick let go of his arm and climbed back up the books.

The next class we had was History of Magic. It was—very—enlightening; if you were interested in that sort of stuff. _At least I know I can use this class as a study hall if necessary…_

Binns droned on and on the entire time. Explaining that when he died he had had such a love for teaching that he just simply couldn't leave his post, and how he had taught even Dumbledore since he was in first year. Binns was very, _very _old. It would have been interesting if he didn't have such a monotone for a voice.

We went to lunch after History of Magic. Everyone was asking me if I was going to eat without a fight this time. I opened my mouth to respond, when the twins came up from behind.

"Now Kailey," said Fred wrapping his arm around my shoulder in a motherly fashion. "We just want you to grow big and strong."

"I know," I said playing along with a baby voice.

"And if you don't eat on your own, I'll be forced to spoon feed you." George said, using a deep manly voice that made everybody laugh.

"So, Ronniekins how's your first day of classes so far?" Asked Fred sitting beside Harry, who was next to me and across from Ron.

"Shut-up,"

"Now, that's not very nice to say,"

"Especially in front of the American,"

"You'll give the rest of us a bad name!"

"He already has,"

"Fair point,"

"It's you two that'll give us a bad name!"

"Now when have we said 'shut-up' to you?"

Ron opened his mouth to say when George added, "In the past month."

"Five times," said Ron, who had paused to think.

We headed off to Transfiguration after lunch. Professor McGonagall kept the room silent the moment she stepped through the door. She did role call before telling us that if we misbehaved during a lesson she would double the homework for the class and triple it for the individual who caused the disturbance.

"Would you care to test that Mr. Finnegan?"

Seamus (who had been explaining something to Neville) looked up with wide eyes and said, "No, Professor."

"Very well, now let's begin."

We were given matches that were to be turned into needles.

"Of course Miss Macauley already seems to know a spell or two."

I blushed when McGonagall addressed me, "Yes, Professor."

"I advise you to only curse Peeves if he is really off the hook." I looked up shocked, "Otherwise he will be most disagreeable to be around."

"You're not mad?"

"Well, I can certainly arrange a detention if that is what you would like."

"Oh, no I'm alright thanks."

It turned out my spell the night before had been a fluke. Hermione was the only one who was able to transfigure the match. Mine did turn silver colored, however. Hermione beamed as McGonagall flattered her work. Then she gave us all a quickie assignment on the similarities and differences of matches and needles and how the information could help with the spell.

The next few days went on with a similar fashion. Teachers introducing themselves that followed a role call that involved being interested in my coming to Hogwarts and their being over-enthusiastic about Harry's arrival. After their little rituals, they proceeded to give us an assignment followed by homework. A tedious practice, but one I could depend on.

* * *

Friday morning Hedwig flew in with a letter on her leg.

"I never get mail," said Harry when she landed in front of him sticking her leg out, and stealing a bit of bacon.

"Just open it," said Ron and I together. Hermione had stopped hanging around with us.

Harry opened the letter and Ron and I crowded around him.

"I won't be able to read it with you two breathing down my neck."

"Then hurry up,"

"It's from Hagrid. He wants us to come for tea at three."

"Hey, that rhymed!"

Harry and Ron stared at me.

"What? All I said was it rhymed." They exchanged glances (which had quickly become a habit) then returned to the letter.

"Shall we all go then?" Harry asked.

"Sure, why not?"

"Let's go, it'll be fun."

Harry scribbled his answer on the back of the letter and we left breakfast for our next class: Potions.

* * *

_**And so ends this chapter! I am so sorry that this took me so long! School is taking up pretty much all of my free time! I'll write as often as possible!!! Don't forget to review:-D :-) ;-P**_


	10. Monkswood and Porqupine Quills

CHAPTER TEN

_**Okay, so here we are at the tenth chapter!!! Yeah!!! I will do my best in updating as much as possible!!! Alright, here we go!!! Onto Potions Dramatic Music**_

We found our way down to the dungeons and sat in the middle of the room, I was next to Harry and Ron. Harry was next to Hermione, and Ron was on the end. We all sat down and chatted for the few moments before Snape came sweeping into the room. Immediate silence followed his entrance.

"There will be none of that foolish wand waving in this class." Snape said when he turned around looking at all of those whose wands were presently out. He then proceeded with attendance, in which he, of course, recognized both mine and Harry's presence in his class.

"This class is not loud. Ever. Few ever appreciate the art that is potion-making. Its fragrance and simplicity of the simmering of the cauldron is very much deceiving. I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, or ensnare the senses," Harry started taking notes. I nudged him so that he would stop, but it didn't work. "I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stop death." Harry's quill scribbled away, Snape hadn't noticed yet.

I risked a whisper, "Harry, pay atten--"

"Miss Macauley," _Damn… _"You feel confident enough to talk out of turn?"

I was too petrified to shake my head no.

"Well then, let's see what you know." I didn't blink, "Where would you look if I asked you to find me a beazor?" Hermione's hand shot up.

"I-I'd look in the st-stomach of a goat." I said, stuttering, I wasn't completely sure that was true, but Hermione's hand lowered.

"Hmm, that is correct. Let's try another. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Oh, uh…" I paused, looking at the ceiling. "I think it's a sleeping potion so powerful it's usually called the…uh…Drought of the Living Dead?"

"Drought of the Living Death, actually," Snape said. I didn't like the way his eyes were flashing. "What is the difference between wolfs bane and aconite?"

"I thought it was monkshood?"

"What is your answer then? Or don't you know?" I considered saying that I didn't know. But then what would that prove?

"Well, I know that there's no difference between wolfs bane and monkshood, and I know that there's another name for them, so, Professor, I don't think that there is a difference." I said it all rather hurriedly, not wanting to get into trouble.

Snape sneered at me, and then said, quite calmly, "Why isn't anyone writing this down?" There was a scurrying of parchment and quills as everyone rushed to write the facts down before they forgot.

After we wrote down the facts, we broke into pairs and began making a potion that was supposed to cure boils. I was put with Ron, Hermione with Harry. The latter two were seated next to Neville and Seamus. _Oh my God, I can't remember what else is supposed to happen today…! _I had read the chapter in my Sorcerer's Stone that talked about the first potions class, just so I could be prepared if anything was going to go wrong. _I know it involves Neville…as usual…but what was it…? Oh well, it can't be helped…_

The class continued. It was so strange to know that something was going to go wrong. I kept looking over at Neville and Seamus then glancing at the instructions, then looking back at them. I did this every ten seconds or so as the class neared the ending. _Oh my God…was it…_

"The porcupine quills!" I whispered energetically.

"Uh… those don't come in until we take the cauldron off the fire," said Ron looking at the instructions.

"No, not _our _quills, Neville and Sea--"

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled suddenly, clearing a mass of acid liquid that covered the floor.

"Too late," I said, shrinking back on my stool.

Ron stared at me for a moment before he looked over to watch Snape yell at Neville, and then he turned back to me. "Did you know that was going to happen?" he whispered.

Before I could answer there was a slam as two hands landed on my table.

"So," Snape said, glaring at me.

I looked strait up (_damn my height…) _to see Snape glaring down at me, his nostrils giving a tiny flare. _Wait, McGonagalls the one that flares…_

"So, you figured you'd make yourself look even better than the rest of Britain by using Longbottom's mistakes to support the reasoning behind your vulgar potion?"

I saw Harry begin to open his mouth, and then wince from Hermione stepping on his foot. I shook my head nervously.

"No?" he said, raising an eyebrow. I couldn't move, that would signify defeat, or fear. His glare intensified. I shuddered, "Two points from Gryffindor."

The bell rang.

_**Short, but to the point I think. Don't forget to review!!! Thanks!**_

_**I'll update ASAP!!! Next is chap 11:-D :-P :-) **_


	11. Revealed

CHAPTER ELEVEN

_**Alright, time to start chapter 11! So exciting! Just a little side-note: Watch out for 'I am The Cure' BLOCK THEM!!! The insensitive guy is writing really awful reviews for ppl!!! Now, back to business…Kailey and Harry and Ron are on their way to Hagrid's…**_

"That insensitive jerk! I can't believe I let him get away with that!" We were on our way to Hagrid's, clear out of the dungeons.

"I was going to say something, but Hermione stepped on my foot."

"It's a good thing you didn't say anything, I've heard that Snape can get pretty nasty."

"Yeah, but my foot still hurts," Harry was limping slightly.

"Be a man, Harry, not a baby,"

"If I'm a baby, will you carry me?"

"Not in Ron's dreams." I said, laughing slightly.

We made it up to Hagrid's cabin and knocked on the door, which was big so that Hagrid could get through it without ducking too much.

We heard Hagrid trying to get Fang away from the door and the sound of a big dog moaning in a pathetic manner. Then the door opened.

"Harry, Kailey, Mr. Weasley," Ron gave a lopsided smile, "Come in! Make yerselves at home,"

We filed in and sat down on two huge chairs (I got a chair to myself _…hahaha…) _and Hagrid proceeded with the kettle. _I wonder if I should tell him that I don't like tea…or would that be too rude…? Maybe I'll pretend to drink it…_

"Um… Hagrid, this is our friend, Ron," said Harry.

"So, yeh are a Weasley then? I spent half o' me life chasing them brothers o' yers away from that forest. But some family traditions don' carry on I hope?"

"No, sir," said Ron, leaning back from Fang.

"Fang, c'mere, boy, c'mere," I said, holding out my hand.

"He's a little strong, there Kailey,"

"It's no problem Hagrid, I love dogs,"

Fang bounded over to me, and knocked me back into my chair. Harry leaned over and pulled Fang back a little by the collar.

Hagrid put a platter of rock cakes on the table along with the giant tea mugs. _Oh boy, rocks and hot water…good thing dinner is soon…_

Being the usual overly polite first years we were, we took the rock cakes without question. Bite—_ouch—_bite—_ouch—_crunch—

"Ouch!"

"What's the matter?"

"I—uh—bit my tongue," I said, feeling my newly loose tooth. "I'm alright,"

We began to tell Hagrid of our first week at Hogwarts.

"Filch is a crazy!"

"Off his rocker, that one is," said Ron in agreement with Harry.

(I was too busy wiggling my baby tooth to notice. _Maybe these rock cakes aren't so bad…I need to lose this tooth anyway…)_

Hagrid waved a hand, "Filch is an old git, don' you worry about him none. I'll see to it that yeh stay outta trouble with him."

"And her cat," said Ron.

"I don't really like cats anyway, but she's a monster," I said finally taking part of the conversation.

"Well, I'd like to introduce her to Fang sometime. She follows me every time I go ter the school! Filch puts 'er up to it."

"Filch is better than Snape though," said Harry, "Have you guys seen the way he looks at me?"

"With a loathing passion that would make Voldemort himself cringe in fear."

"Yes," said Harry.

"Not a question, a statement."

"Now I'm sure Snape doesn' mean anythin' by it," said Hagrid frowning at me and Harry. "He doesn' like half o' the students, on'y the Slytherins."

"No, Hagrid, trust me, Snape does not like Harry in the least."

"Thanks for your support on the matter,"

"No problem Harry,"

"Kailey, what was up with that whole thing in potions today?"

"Eh? What whole thing?"

"You know, how you said 'the porcupine quills' and 'Neville and Seamus's'?"

"What about it?"

"Did you know something was going to happen?"

"Well I--"

"And how did you know that I wouldn't be in Hufflepuff?" asked Harry turning towards me.

"Okay, now I don't know what you're talking about,"

"He's talking about the day in Diagon Alley,"

"Oh, yeah…" I said a dawning expression on my face.

"And how did you know that I was going to ask you guys what your Quidditch teams were when we were on the train to Hogwarts?"

"How do you guys remember all of this stuff?"

"That's beside the point,"

"How do you know?" asked Harry again.

_ Oh no, I can't tell them yet…! I'll have to give my books to Dumbledore, and they might go after J.K. Rowling herself…! This is very bad…! What do I do…?_

"Kailey, don't you trust us?" asked Harry.

"Of course! This has nothing to do with whether or not I trust you! It's just…"

"Just what?"

"I can't! I have to keep this a secret! Nobody is supposed to know any of this stuff! If I tell…bad things could…happen…No one should know so much about their own future."

"So you know the future?"

"A little bit, I guess. But I don't know for sure if it even is the future. Some stuff has happened, I guess, but a lot of things aren't happening. I'm one of the things that isn't supposed to be happening. And Snape was supposed to ask Harry those questions in Potions, and he was supposed to blame Harry for Neville's mistake. Peeves wasn't even supposed to have that wad of gum." I slumped back in my chair. It was hopeless now. I'd have to tell them a lot more than this.

"So…what does this all mean?"

"Weren't you listening? I don't know! I just have very educated guesses to go off of."

"Why didn't you want to tell us?"

"I didn't think you'd be my _real_ friends any more. I thought you'd just want to know me so I could tell you your estimated futures or something I guess."

"Kailey, I hate to make what yeh thought to seem true, but," Hagrid held out the newspaper. "Do you know who did this?"

I stared at the paper for a moment.

"I want to go see Dumbledore."

_**Here's the end of another chapter!!! Sorry it was so short!!! Not much time to write!!! Until my next chapter!!! Please review:-D :-) :- **_


	12. Discussion

CHAPTER TWELVE

_**Hey everyone!!! Thanks soo much to Blondie 24-7 (my bff!) and to WriterApprentice!!! You guys totally made my day!!! Thank you sooo much!!!! Ok now I shall fulfill your requests of my updating!!! **_

I knocked on the door of Dumbledore's office after climbing the circular stairs that lead to the office. I was fuming. I had let out my secret (after the first week I might add) and I was mentioned in the Daily Prophet. Well, not by name, but what other "secret source" who is apparently on "good" terms with Dumbledore would have any "interesting information." I was mad. _God! Does he actually think that I'm going to tell him? What makes him so high and mighty anyway? So what if he's not afraid of Voldemort? So what if he's the only one he ever feared? What gives him the right…?!?! _

"Come in!" Dumbledore's voice rang through the door.

I took a deep, calming breath and went through the door.

"Ah, Miss Macauley, I thought it might be you," he said with a smile that I didn't return. "I take it you saw the article then?"

"What on earth makes you think that this will change anything?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, being the eleven-year-old I was.

"Well, nothing gives me the right, I merely couldn't think of any other way to get you to come and talk to me about this disturbing intrusion on the Wizard Bank."

"Was anything taken?"

"No,"

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No,"

"Then why is it so important that I tell you anything on this matter, Sir?" _Least I remembered the "sir" this time…_

"Because no one has every tried to rob Gringotts and gotten away before. The item they were trying to steal has a considerable amount of value."

"Everything has its first time, Sir; I don't see why this is any different."

He sighed, "I suppose that you're right then. However, was it the work of dark magic?"

"Whatever happens, happens, Sir,"

"Is that a yes or a no then?"

"Neither,"

"You are going to be very difficult about this aren't you?"

I smiled, "We agree on something then?"

"What if I make an arrangement with you?"

"Go on,"

"If someone is going to get hurt--"

"I'd be in here everyday. Besides, Madam Pomfrey is up to it."

"Very well, if there is going to be a death, you shall inform me,"

"Sir, not that I want anyone to die, but certain things won't be able to occur unless someone…passes…and some of those things are good, some not so good."

"So you admit that people will die then?"

"Not for years and years. The robbery has absolutely no effect on these though, or very little if it does."

"Well, your end of the bargain is nearly complete then isn't it? Would you like to know to whom you have relations?"

"Umm…not yet. I haven't had much chance to work on that yet."

"Would you like a hint then, since that is what you have given me?"

"Why not?"

"You are related to them through your father's side of the family."

"No offense, Sir, but I kinda knew that already." He frowned, "My mom is French-Canadian and a little bit Native American, no Scottish or British."

"Ah, I see, well then, I guess I should tell you that most of the family that you're related to are in fact, magic."

I nodded. _That's a little better…at least now I can do some snooping around…_

"Well, Miss Macauley, I believe that you were visiting with Hagrid before you stormed in here," I blushed. "So, why don't you go back and find your friends? You can tell them that this entire ordeal is between you and I. In front of Hagrid would probably be best, he'll make sure that they don't bother you too much."

"Thank you, sir."

And with that I left Dumbledore's office, a little more relieved than when I had entered.

_ At least I'm not alone in this now…wonder what's gonna happen when Sirius escapes from Azkaban…? Too far for me to worry about I guess…_

I shook off the thoughts of what was to come in the next few years. Instead I decided to think about what family I was related to. I decided to tell Harry, Ron, and Hagrid that that was the reason I was allowed to come to Hogwarts, they would help me.

_ Well, who looks like me? Dark hair…might be from mom though…whatever, it's a start…dark skin…again probably from mom…my height? Nah, I'm still growing…wait, I was tallest in my fifth grade class…brown eyes? Could be from anyone…my nose is a reasonable size…okay lots of people have family noses…maybe…_

I found myself at Hagrid's door after going through a ton of traits I thought might help me out. In the end I choose to go with the hint Dumbledore gave me. I'd be at least one generation away from whoever I was related to anyway. We might not look anything alike at all.

I knocked at the door and was told to come in.

"I'm back," I said lamely.

"Kailey, what's going on?"

"Professor Dumbledore said that what's going on is strictly between me and him."

"Well, there yeh have it boys." I exhaled an awfully big amount of air.

"But there is something that I want to tell you guys. It's about the reason that I'm here and not at some American school."

"Really?"

"He gave you a real reason then?"

"Yeah, he did. I'm related to someone who goes here and I guess Dumbledore wants me to meet whoever it is for whatever reason."

"Who are you related to?" asked Ron, frowning.

"That's the thing, I've gotta figure that out myself."

"Well, it must be someone important if yer comin' here instead."

I nodded, "But who? I can't think of anyone who is anything like me."

"Maybe that's why Dumbledore wants you to try to do this yourself. Maybe whoever you're related to is someone who is really obvious, like right under your nose." Said Harry, staring into the fire.

"Like who, Harry?"

He shrugged.

"Oh my God!" Ron practically yelled.

"What?" we all jumped.

"It must be Harry! You two must be related somehow!"

"Now, hold yer dragons, Ron! Don' yeh think Dumbledore woulda mentioned somethin' like tha'?"

We didn't hear what Hagrid said, we had all flown out the door and were back on our way to Dumbledore's office.

**_That's the end of this one!!! Don't forget to review!!! I'll get the 13th chapter up ASAP:-D :-) _**


	13. The Inner Eye and Gum

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

**_Okay, I'm beginning chapter 13!!! Don't forget to review!!! Get ready!!!_**

**_

* * *

_**

**Dumbledore: Miss Macauley, something has been bothering me about our agreement.**

**Kailey: What is it sir?**

**Dumbledore: Do you know who actually owns Harry Potter, myself, and the rest of us?**

**Kailey: I don't know if I should say…**

**Dumbledore: Well, is it the writer of this fanfic?**

**Kailey: Are you crazy?!!? It's JK Rowling! Who else could come up with such…I just told you didn't I?

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**

"Professor!" Harry, Ron, and I piled into Dumbledore's office, nearly all on top of each other.

"Miss Macauley, back so soon?" Dumbledore chuckled as we caught our breath.

"Eh? Oh, yeah I am, aren't I?" I said, still out of breath. _Running! I hate running…!_

"We think we figured it out sir," said Harry, who had stopped panting. _But of course Harry is a good little runner…_

"Oh?" said Dumbledore, his eyebrows rising very high. "Well, I must say I thought it would take you a little bit longer to figure this out. So, who are you related to then? Or who do you think you're related to then?"

"Am I—I mean—are we related?" I said, gesturing towards Harry.

Dumbledore sighed like he was tired.

"We're not, are we?" said Harry, turning very downhearted.

"I'm afraid not. I thought it was too fast for you to have figured this out." _What's that supposed to me…? _"I'm sorry, Harry, but none of your relatives (aside from your aunt) are living."

"Oh, right…well I thought it might be…too good," he trailed off.

"I can see where you get your confusion, however. I did say that Miss Macauley is related to someone whose family is almost all wizards. Almost." Dumbledore paused, "I suppose I shouldn't have been so vague. Let me be a little more clear. The family that you are related to has had a member at Hogwarts for more than five years in recent times."

We gave Dumbledore a blank stare. "Sir that made less sense than your welcoming speech." I said laughing slightly.

"What I mean is that for at least the past five years there has been a relative of yours at the castle."

"Oh!" said Ron and Harry, whose eyes both widened.

"That helps," I said nodding. "Thank you, sir." We turned to leave.

"And Harry, I am sorry," said Dumbledore. Harry nodded and we left.

* * *

We were wandering around the corridors, deep in conversation.

"I thought you said you knew a shortcut!" I said exasperatedly to Ron.

"I did! I mean I do!"

"Who told it to you?" asked Harry as we passed a picture of a fat lady being handed a shoe by a chubby little prince.

"Fred and George," Ron mumbled.

"Oh, well that's just perfect then," I said placing my hands on my hips, in an outraged way. "I'm gonna get those two someday!"

"Yeah, just make sure they've got a piece of gum with them." Harry grinned.

"I don't need that spell to make them sorry." I said evilly.

"You know more?"

"Not that I've tried them, but yeah."

"Will you teach us some?"

"Yeah, I'd like to get Fred and George back too,"

I laughed, "They aren't exactly hard spells, and Fred and George probably know them already."

"But still,"

"Plus if you tried to get one, the other would get you back."

"But there are three of us, and two of them," said Harry.

"Numbers don't matter; it's the experience that matters."

"Well, as long as we are hopelessly lost, what was the deal with that attempted robbery any way?" asked Ron, taking advantage of my being preoccupied.

"The big deal is that they were trying to steal something of great value, and they just missed getting it."

"How do you know they just missed it?"

"Because Hagrid, Kailey, and I emptied the vault that day,"

"Wait a minute," said Ron stopping. "Now Harry knows the future too?"

"No, he was there when the vault was emptied."

"Right, yeah I knew that."

"Sure, just like you knew this shortcut to the Great Hall. I'm starving!"

"Well, shouldn't you have some idea? You know, from seeing into the future and all--"

"Did I hear correctly? One of you can see into the future?" _Wait, she's always in her tower…HOLD ON! WHERE ARE WE…!?!? _Professor Trelawney stood in front of us, bedecked in all of her jewels.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I don't think that you did." I said very quickly.

"Oh? But I used my inner eye, dear, my dear," she paused, "my dear, American."

"How did you know she was American?" _God, are they that stupid…?_

"Generally people notice the accent. And I am sorry, Professor, you didn't hear what you thought you heard. He said if we could see in the future, we would have avoided being lost."

"You are lying, darling, the inner eye knows all."

"What is my name?" said Harry, oblivious to the fact that _everyone_ knows his name.

"Harry, don't be ridiculous, everyone knows your name." He nodded somewhat lamely.

"You are a non-believer," Trelawney was staring down at me with her large eyes.

"Not quite. I just think that the likeliness of you having a great inner eye when you're the first of your family to posses it in like three generations is very, very chancy." _Wait, did I say that out loud? Shit…_

Harry and Ron stared at me in shock.

"And what would you know of the matter? You are just a first year! The way to the Great Hall is down these stairs, all the way, then take two rights and you're there! You leave my family history out of this thank you very much!" She stalked off in such a huff, that I thought I was going to end up with a detention.

"Must have hit a nerve…" I said to the silence that greeted me from Harry and Ron.

"That was a teacher," Harry said, Ron nodding.

"As if she could call herself a teacher," I said turning to descend the stairs. "If she really had any hint of the inner eye, she would have busted me for everything that I just said."

"Kailey?"

"Yeah, Ron?"

"What's the inner eye?"

"You'll figure it out when you're older."

"That's what my parents tell me,"

"I can see why, it's fun too say."

* * *

We eventually found our way into the Great Hall, just in time for massive herds of people to start leaving.

Fred and George were walking by when three pieces of gum smacked each of them in the face. They turned to see who did it, but Harry, Ron and I were already at the table, serving ourselves food, and laughing our heads off at the two pranksters who seemed to have been pranked.

* * *

**_Well, there's the 13th!!! Kailey taught them the incantation on their way down the stairs, just thought you'd like to know where that came from!!! Please don't forget to REVIEW!!! Thank you! I'll update ASAP:-D :-)_**


	14. Flying Lessons

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_**Okay, I'm back!!! Now, let's see…thank you to all of my reviewers!!! I will do my best to live up to your expectations!!! Here's the setting: Thursday, Flying Lessons, pre-Neville injury. Don't forget to Review!!!

* * *

**_

It was Thursday morning in the Great Hall. It was a nice, bright sunny day. Not a single cloud in the sky, perfect flying weather. Or at least that's what everyone was saying. As we progressed into our second week, it became apparent that Harry and Malfoy's hate for one another was seriously underestimated on my part. They were in loathing. All Harry and Ron seemed to be talking about lately (well, since Wednesday night) was about how much they wanted to see Malfoy make a fool of himself on a broom.

"I bet he falls off,"

"Two inches off the ground?"

"More like half a centimeter!"

They both looked at me, looking for what I supposed to be encouragement. I ignored them whenever they gave me these looks, not that they did it much. I made it clear that I could just as easily let my wand slip, smacking them in their faces with the gum instead of the mischievous twins. But in this case I made an exception.

"I wouldn't bet on that,"

"And why not? All he does is brag,"

"When Malfoy brags, it usually means nothing, but he can fly."

"Well, there goes my spirit! I'll be down in two seconds!" said Harry, throwing his hands in the air. I made no expression whatsoever.

"Well, I won't be falling," I stated.

"Why's that?"

"Don't tell me you've been able to practice that too,"

"No, I'm not going to fall because I won't go up." They stared at me, "I don't fly."

"Well, muggles generally don't," said Harry.

"Why won't you fly?"

"I, well…I don't care all that much for heights,"

"You're afraid of heights? You?"

"God, don't make it seem like it's a crime,"

"It's just…"

"Unexpected," said Harry, filling in for Ron's absence of description.

I cocked my eyebrow and waited for further explanation.

"Well we just sort of figured that you would,"

"Not have a stupid fear like that."

"It's not a stupid fear! I don't like heights! Lots of people don't like heights! Just like lots of people don't like spiders, Ronald Weasley."

"Hey, I have a valid reason for being afraid of spiders!"

"Still going on about that trick we played on you all those years ago I see," said Fred, coming up from behind us.

"That was a good one, wasn't it Fred?"

"Right you are George, right you are."

"What happened to your faces?" I asked, while the boys suppressed laughs. There were three red splotches on their faces. They looked like gum marks. _Oh, what sweet payback…_

"We don't know, actually,"

"Here we were walking out of the Great Hall last Friday, when three pieces of gum smacked us each in the face."

"Imagine that,"

"No warning!"

"It was incredible!"

"I'd like to find the little devils that did it, wouldn't you Fred?"

"I would, dear brother, I would."

"Any idea as to who it was then?" asked Harry, playing along.

"No clue whatsoever!"

"No one in our year would be that stupid,"

"No one in the years above us have any reason to,"

"And no one in the years lower than us would be able to,"

"Quite a mystery,"

"Yes indeed, we've got some digging to do."

The bell rang, meaning one thing: doom.

* * *

We walked down onto the grounds, the Gryffindors a little way apart from the Slytherins, to where Madame Hooch was standing.

"Choose a broom, and stand on its right side." We did, me between Harry and Hermione, who was muttering nonsense information she had gotten from a book.

"Stick your right hand over your broom, and say: Up."

The class did as she told, but only a few people's brooms came into their hands. Harry's did and Malfoy's did as well. They glared at each other. Ron's rolled over, and Hermione's did nothing. Neville's went up a little than hit the ground again. Mine, well—it swung up and smacked my nose. Everyone (including myself) broke out in laughter, which would have been fine, but Malfoy had to put his two cents in.

"See? This is why muggle borns don't belong here!" He said, while Madame Hooch's back was turned. Harry and Ron resumed glaring at Malfoy once more.

Once everyone had their brooms in hand, Madame Hooch proceeded with the instructions. "When I blow my whistle, you will kick off from the ground, and hover over the ground for a few moments, then lean forward and touch back to the ground."

We all took a moment to mount our brooms, and we waited.

"Oh, crap," I whispered.

"What?" asked Harry, leaning over.

"I forgot to tell Neville to--"

"Ready? Three, two," Neville took off.

"How do I get down? Help! Help!"

"I forgot to tell Neville to wait," I said, now slightly annoyed with myself. _Well, at least Harry will make the Quidditch team now…_

"Mr. Longbottom, get back here!"

"Professor, I don't think he knows quite how," I said as Neville floated away.

"Try to lean forward!" she shouted. _Why doesn't she just fly up to him…? _

He leaned forward, but too much. He sped off in a shot and lost his balance trying to turn back. He fell about twenty feet, landing on his arm.

"Anything else you forgot?" asked Harry, looking over at Neville, as Madame Hooch ran over to him.

"Now that you mention it, I can't remember," _I wonder where the Remembrall landed…_

"Think hard," _Not unless you don't wanna play Quidditch buddy boy…_

"Nope, can't remember nothing,"

"Nice grammar," said Hermione.

"Nice of you to notice," Ron shot back and Hermione walked away.

Madame Hooch gave us strict instructions to stay on the ground and took Neville to the Hospital Wing.

"Hey look," said Malfoy, picking up a glass ball. "That arse dropped his stupid remembrall."

"Give it to me Malfoy," said Harry holding out his hand after giving me a nasty little look. _You'll thank me for this someday…_

"And why should I? So you can play hero to the losers?"

"Look you little piece of shit--" I started but Hermione cut me off, eyeing Crabbe and Goyle.

"Not too nice of you Macauley," he said in mock disappointment. "I don't think that I'll be giving this back. Let's make Longbottom search for it. How about…the top of a tree? Or in the lake?" He kicked off the ground and flew into the air.

"Nice job, Kailey," muttered Ron. I said nothing.

"What's the problem Potter? Am I too far away, or are you just scared?"

Harry mounted his broom, "Harry no, do you want to be expelled?"

"The heck with that," I said. "Are you really gonna take that crap Harry?" He looked at me for a moment, and I nodded. Next thing Harry was in the sky.

"Kailey! I can't believe you just said that! If he gets into to trouble--" Hermione began.

"He won't get in trouble, he's helping a friend," I said sharply, hoping that Ron wouldn't but in.

We all turned our heads upward. They were too far away to hear what was going on. Harry suddenly bulleted at Malfoy, and we all gasped, Parvati and Lavender both screamed. More words were exchanged then Malfoy chucked the rememberall towards the castle. We squinted at the tiny speck that rose slightly then started racing to the ground.

Harry raced after it, going faster and faster, until he was in a deep dive. I held my breath, hoping that I had done the right thing. _Don't crash, don't crash, damn it Harry! Don't crash…! _He caught the ball and pulled out of the dive so sharply, it seemed like he just stopped moving. We all let out a huge cheer, well the Gryffindors did anyway. He landed on the ground in front of us, his hair all windswept.

"Nice job," Ron said.

"And congratulations," I whispered so that Harry was the only one that could hear me.

"What do you mean?"

"Harry Potter!" McGonagall was running towards us all. "Come with me right now."

"But Professor, he didn't do anything!"

"It was Malfoy!"

"Harry, just go with her," Everyone stopped their protesting for a moment, and then they doubled their voices.

"That is enough! Mr. Potter, come with me, now." Harry glanced back at me and Ron, looking for some encouragement. I gave him a smile, and he tried to smile back, but it looked more like a wince than anything.

"Look what you did, Kailey!" said Hermione, catching up to me and Ron when the bell rang.

"Yep, I think I've done a good job, don't you Ron?"

"Yep," Ron answered, and we kept walking.

Once we were inside Ron looked to make sure Hermione was gone. Then he said, "What did you do?"

"You'll see!" I said brightly.

"So nothing bad happened?"

"Nope,"

* * *

It was dinner time, and we actually made it there without getting lost once.

"You guys will never guess what just happened," Harry excitedly whispered.

"What happened?" I said playing along.

"I'm on the Quidditch team!"

"Wow! First years never get to play! What position?" asked Ron just as excited as Harry.

"I'll be playing Seeker, but Wood wants it to be a secret."

"That's awesome, Harry," I said smiling.

"Thanks for convincing me to go up there today," he said.

"You would've gone up anyway, I'm just impatient." I said smiling.

"So you called Malfoy a piece of shit to speed him up?"

"Heck no, I've wanted to do that for a while."

"Harry, nice job," said George sitting on the other side of Ron.

"Wood just told us you made seeker,"

"We're on the team too,"

"We're the beaters,"

"We get to make sure that the team doesn't get too beat up,"

"But we can't promise that there won't be blood shed,"

"Or a broken jaw,"

"Or neck,"

"Or back,"

"Or that you won't just disappear,"

"What about die?" I asked, smiling.

"Well, that hasn't happened in years,"

"But there's a first time for everything," said George, and they got up and went to meet Lee Jordan.

"That was supportive," said Harry, returning to his plate with a paler face.

"Relax, Harry, most of that stuff won't happen," I said.

"Most?"

"Hey Potter, when do you get back on the train?" Malfoy had come up behind us.

"You seem a lot braver with your pals here on the ground," said Harry gesturing at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Then what do you say to a wizard's duel at midnight tomorrow? Wait—I bet you've never even heard of one before,"

"Of course he has," Ron said, before I could cut him off. "I'm his second who's yours?"

"Crabbe," said Malfoy after looking at Crabbe and Goyle carefully. "Midnight tomorrow, in the trophy room, unless you're scared."

"We'll be there," said Ron. _We will…? _The three Slytherins walked away.

"What's a wizard's duel?" asked Harry.

"A fight," I said. "And your second is there to keep fighting for your honor if you die." I finished glaring at Ron.

"Die?"

"Yeah, die, as if you guys knew any spells to duel with," I said, shaking my head.

"You guys shouldn't go," Hermione appeared out of no where.

"We'll go if we want to," said Ron, again before I could speak.

"You'll all get into a lot of trouble,"

"No we won't,"

"Yes you will,"

"No,"

"Yes,"

"Do you mind minding your own business? I know it seems like a new concept, but it might make other people feel a little saner." _Ron, that was a little harsh… _Hermione walked away, muttering.

"Kailey, how much will I get hurt in Quidditch?" asked Harry, still mulling everything over in his head.

"Ask me no questions, and I shall tell you no lies," I said.

"Reassuring,"

"You're welcome,"

* * *

**_That is the end of chapter 14!!! Don't forget to Review!!! I do read them, whether or not I answer certain things is another story!!! Thank you:-D :-) _**


	15. Killed or Worse Expelled

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

**_Here's the 15th! Forgive any spelling errors, my spell check got turned off and I can't figure out how I fix it!!! ENJOY and REVIEW!!!

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_**

The next day (because it was Friday and we got afternoons off) we decided to pratice some spells in an empty classroom. It was entertaining to see them working so hard for a duel that wouldn't be taking place. _I can't break their spirits…I'll just get them to chicken out right before we go…_

We practiced _Expelliarmus, _as well as _Petrificus Totalus. _I nailed the dissarming charm, and so did Harry and Ron after a few more trys with my instruction.

"How are we gonna practice _Petrificus Totalus_?" I asked them.

"You're the one who knows all these spells," Ron pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't know the countercurse for this one."

"Look it up," suggested Harry.

"With what a dictionary?" asked Ron.

"No, I've got an idea," I said and we retreated to the common room, where we found Hermione.

"Hello Kailey," she said brightly when she spotted me. "Harry, Ron," she said a little less pleasently.

"Hi Hermione," the boys answered.

"Hermione, we were looking up some spells, and we wanted to try some, but we can't find the countercurse to one of them."

"What's the spell?"

"_Pertrificus Totalus," _I answered.

"Why would I help you guys learn how to duel?" she asked in a sudden hiss. "That's right, I know all about your little plans. You know that you'll get in very big trouble for this!"

"Kailey, forget it, it's not worth our time," said Ron, turning away.

"You'll lose points for Gryffindor! I can believe those two idiots, but Kailey, you're so good at school. Why would you ruin it?"

"I'll see you later Hermione," I said following the boys facing the ground.

"Kailey, wait," she caught up to me before we reached the portrait hole. "You know this is a bad idea. You shouldn't do it."

"Hermione, what makes you so smart that you can say that we'll get in trouble?" asked Ron.

"At least think about it, Kailey," she glared at Ron and walked away.

* * *

That night we met at the end of the stairs of our dormitories with our wands. We had decided that Malfoy wouldn't even know the dissarming spell, so we were good. Well, the boys decided that anyway, I sort of nudged them in that direction. 

We reached the portrait hole when a voice sounded from the fire.

"I can't believe that you're actually going through with this,"

"Go to bed, Hermione," Ron said, I had told them Hermione hadn't come up.

"No, I am going to talk you out of it!"

"You can't get every answer right, Hermione," I said, which seemed to ensure Ron and Harry, who both sped up through the portrait hole.

I followed them, ignoring Hermione's dire warnings of expulusion.

"Fine, if you're all set to get expelled, I won't be taking any further part in this,"

"Good," muttered Ron.

Hermione turned around to face an empty portrait.

"I guess you'll be joining us then, huh Hermione?" I said cheerily.

"Oh, no she won't," said Ron.

"Would you guys be quiet?" said Harry, speaking for the first time. "Somethings up ahead there."

"Don't worry, it's just Neville," I said.

"What makes you so sure?" asked Hermione.

"Call it instinct,"

"Oh, thank goodness you found me! I forgot the password and the Fat Lady woudn't let me in!"

"Told you so," I whispered to Hermione.

"The password is Pig Snout, but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady isn't there."

"Looks like you've got someone to wait with you now," Ron said to Hermione.

"No, you can't leave me here! The Bloody Baron's been by three times and Peeves keeps popping up and down the corridor."

"Alright, you can come, just be quiet." Said Harry, sounding impatient at the number of people now coming on the little trip.

* * *

We made our way to the trophy room alright, but we found it empty. 

"Kailey?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are they?" asked Ron.

"Well, I was going to suggest staying behind, but seeing as you guys don't back down from a challenge,"

"You mean they're not coming?" whispered Harry exasperatedly.

"See? I knew something like this would happen! They set you guys up!" said Hermione, sounding extremley irritated.

I put a finger to my lips and pointed to a door. Two small lights were showing and growing bigger with every moment.

Harry gestured for everyone to follow him. We crept across the room to the other entrance as the lights grew brighter. We were on the other side of the extremly dark room when we heard Filch's voice.

"Sniff about my sweet, they should be here somewhere," he cooed to his cat.

We continued to exit the first room, entering a second filled to the brim with trophies. Harry stopped walking suddenly, as if mesmerised.

"What is it?" I whispered in his ear.

He pointed to a plac that said: James Potter, Gryffindor Seeker.

"Very nice, but we can look at that latter, Harry, we've gotta go now!" I whispered giving him a slight push.

Filch was still in the other room, searching the cabinets when we came close to our second exit, now very far from Filch and Mrs. Norris. Suddenly, Mrs. Norris let out a meow, and Neville stumbled into Hermione, hitting me and Ron, who toppled into Harry, hitting a suit of armor, causing a loud racket.

"Run!" shouted Harry and we sprinted away, stumbling as we got up.

We ran so far away, that I didn't recognize anything anymore. All of the corridors began looking the same and we ran up and down many flights of stairs, putting as much space between ourselves and Filch as possible. We ran into a locked door, and were terrified to hear a cat scampering near us. Hermione shoved her way through and did her _Alohomora _spell.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Ron once we were inside the room.

"_Standard Book of Spells_, chapter seven,"

"It's a good thing you're so smart, Hermione," said Neville.

"Guys," I said.

"Yeah?"

"Shut-up," said Harry.

"And don't scream," I added.

They turned around and found themselves facing a three headed dog. _He's bigger in person…good thing I'm a dog person…I think… _We flung back around as Fluffy began to growl and wrenched open the door and slamed it shut again. We ran as fast as we could, down a flight of stairs, past several tapastries and back to the Fat Lady.

"Well, what have we been up to this evening?"

"Pig Snout," Harry panted.

"Whatever you say dear," she swung forward and we toppled inside.

"That was…the biggest dog…I have ever seen…Ever," I panted. _Not a runner…hate running…no more running…_

"What are they doing? Keeping that thing locked up in a school!"

"Protection," I said still panting.

"For what?" asked Harry.

"You boys, you don't use your eyes or your heads do you? It was standing on a trap door, which means it's guarding something." Said Hermione, who took my one word as a hint that I paid attention. I hadn't really looked at its feet either. Big, big yellow eyes. Six of them too, I wondered vaguely how she had time to look at Fluffy's feet.

"Now, if you all don't mind, I am going to bed before you get yourselves another brilliant idea to get us killed, or even expelled."

"Hermione," I said.

"What?"

"I think you wanna reverse that last part. I'd rather be expelled than die," I said, following her up the stairs. "Nite, guys," I called back over my shoulder.

"Nite," said Neville.

"Talk to you in the morning," said Harry.

We entered the dormitory and changed into our pajamas.

"Honestly, Kailey, I don't understand why you hang out with those two,"

"Why not? We have fun together."

"You call that fun?"

"Oh, come on Hermione, what's a little adrenaline rush? It's good for you, keeps you on guard."

Hermione shook her head.

"You'll understand someday, I'm sure." Hermione nodded. "Nite,"

"Nite,"

I laid down on my bed and pulled my curtains around the bed, just because I could. _Can't wait for tomorrow mornings interview from the guys…_They would be sure to ask me what the dog was guarding, and I wasn't entirely sure that I would tell them. _Might be more fun if I don't…yes, it will…goodnight, me…_ I closed my eyes and fell asleep behind my closed curtains, which were only closed because I could.

* * *

**_There, another completed chapter!!! Please be sure to Review!!! Thank you very much!!! Next is the 16th:-D :-)_**


	16. Nothing Please

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

_**Sorry this is taking soo long!!! I'm doing my best!!! Don't forget to review!!!

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**_

"Kailey, what is that thing protecting?" Harry and Ron had dragged me into a corner in the common room as soon as I had come down from the girls' dorm.

I was thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Won't say 'nothing' if you don't say 'please'."

"Fine! Please?"

"Nothing,"

"Haha very funny! Where did you get that one?" said Ron sarcastically.

"Actually, we never did run into Peeves last night did we?"

"No, were we supposed to?" asked Harry again, sarcastically.

"Well, yeah we were."

"Well aren't we lucky then?" said Ron.

"Yup, I suppose we are."

"Kailey, what is that dog gaurding?" asked Harry again in a whisper as Lavender and Parvati came down.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because we're friends,"

"Why else? It would screw everything, and I mean _everything. _I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. I'm not even telling Dumbledore."

"But we're _friends_, you're supposed to be able to tell us these things." Said Ron.

"Exactly, we're friends not only am I supposed to trust _you two_, but you're both supposed to trust _me_ in return when I say nothing horrible is going to happen."

"But--"

"Let it go, Ron, she's too stubborn." Ron closed his mouth and Harry shook his head.

"Well now that that's settled, what do we have for our first class today?" I asked.

"Breakfast,"

A pair of hands landed on my shoulders and I suddenly found myself being steered out of the Common Room. I looked up to see Fred and George with determined looks on their faces: a bad sign.

"Come on young lady," said Fred

"No time to spare," George chimed in.

It was a very awkward walk down the several flights of stairs, both of them refusing to take their hands off of my shoulders.

"Would you just let go? I can walk you know,"

"Can you?"

"We had no idea!"

"When did you get so smart?"

"Aw, Fred, our little girl is growing up!"

We reached the hall and they sat me down onto the bench.

"There," said one.

"Now you wait here,"

"And we'll be right back with food for you,"

They waved as they walked towards Lee Jordan and I turned back to the entrance to see Ron and Harry coming in, laughing.

"Thank you so much for your support back there," it was my turn to be sarcastic.

"Don't mention it," said Ron.

"Hey look over at the Slytherins," said Harry. "Malfoy looks really happy."

"That reminds me," I said. "Ron, don't ever agree to a stupid challenge like that ever again."

He just shrugged and look up as the usually swarming of owls came through. I looked up too, looking for the latest package.

"You expecting something?" asked Harry, the only one paying any attention to breakfast.

"Yeah,"

"What?"

"Her breakfast," George and Fred were back.

"Although I don't know why she's looking up," added Fred.

"And I thought she was doing so well,"

"Learning to walk and all,"

"What a shame,"

"Yes, after all of our hard work,"

"Shut-up," I said, my eyes not straying from the mass of brown and gray.

"So rude!"

"Yeah, you're not doing such a hot job on my mannors are you?" I said grinning. Out of nowhere, Hedwig flew down and dropped the long parcle on the table.

"What is that?" asked George, finally setting the plate with food on it down in front of me.

"Card first, Harry," I said warningly.

He looked at me, not as strangley as usual, then took the card off of his brown package. After he, Ron, and the twins had read it, they passed it to me. I shook my head before saying, "I think I forgot something in the Common Room. Why don't you bring that with you, Harry?" I said pointedly.

The three of us got up and Fred shouted something about my being rude for not eating the food they so "kindly" got for me. We exited swiftly and found ourselves standing in front of Malfoy at the top of the stairs leading to the second floor.

He stole the package out of Harry's hands. "That's a broomstick,"

"Thanks for the update, Captin Obvious," I hissed icily, cutting Ron off from saying exactly what kind of broom it was. He got my hint and said nothing.

"Well, then you should know that brooms aren't allowed for first years."

"And you should know that we really don't care about what you have to say on the matter."

"What's going on here?" We hadn't even noticed tiny Professor Flitwick coming down the stairs.

"Potter's got a broom, Sir," said Malfoy, attempting to suck-up to Flitwick.

"Ah, yes, Professor McGonnagall informed me of the special circumstances," he said nodding.

"She informed you of what?" said Malfoy perplexed.

"You heard him," I said.

"The special circumstances," Ron glared at Malfoy.

"Better take that broom upstairs, Potter, lest any students get jealous,"

"Jealous of what?" asked Malfoy as Flitwick walked away.

"Of the broom you idiot," I whispered so that Flitwick wouldn't hear. I raced up the stairs after Harry and Ron and we raced through the Common Room and up the stairs into the boy's dorm.

"Ok, open it!" said Ron excitedly.

Harry tore off the wrappings and we all stared. Harry and Ron sort of gaped at it like it was a diamond necklace or something. _Ok, so…it's a piece of well polished wood...is that good…?_

"It's nice…?" I said awkwardly.

"Nice? It's wonderful!" said Ron, not taking his eyes from the broom. Harry nodded in agreement. _Wow, Harrys already obsessed with Quidditch…_

"Well, you should put that away for now, we've got class."

* * *

…In the Common Room that night…

"Kailey, what are you reading?" Ron asked he was sitting on the floor doing homework and I was in the middle of one of the couches. Harry had left for the Quidditch pitch and his first training session about half an hour ago.

"A book," I said not taking my eyes from the pages.

* * *

"_Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broomstick and kicked off from the ground…" _(Rowling)

* * *

"What book?" Ron interupted, suddenly standing over my shoulder. I snapped the book shut.

"A good book," I said stubbornly.

"What's it about?"

I sighed thinking of a good line, "It's a fascinating romance novel in which the main character has just learned that her boyfriend was cheating on her. That kind of book." Ron sat back down and I started to open the book again to find the right page.

"That sounds boring," Ron said.

"Well it would to you, Ron,"

"Seeing as you've got no heart," Fred and George were back.

"Shut-up," was the reply they received.

"We didn't come to talk to you," said George.

"We came to talk to our dear friend, Kailey." Finished Fred, and they both sat down on either side of me.

"Will you read to us dear friend?" asked George reaching for the book in my hands. _Oh shit…_

"I'm sorry, I've just remembered I've got to finish my Transfiguration homework."

I was halfway standing up when Hermione came over saying, "But Kailey, McGonagall gave us the night off, remember?"

"Oh, did I say Transfiguration? I meant Charms!" I ran to the dorm stairs as Hermione and Ron both called after me saying that we hadn't even had Charms that day.

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**_sorry about that!!! i meant to say thanks for reading and don't forget to review:-D_**


	17. Frozen Scream

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

**I don't own Harry Potter or Spiderman.**

**_Wow this is taking me forever to update!!! I don't even remember what happened last chapter!!! (I hope that's not too bad…:-o) Anyways…let's continue on with _**Halloween on the way to the Great Hall for dinner**_! And do not forget to review!!!

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"So Kailey, finished your book yet?" asked Ron, as Harry and I both moaned that he was bringing it up. Again.

"For the thousandth time, no!"

"Ron, why are you so obbsessed with what she was reading anyway? It was like a million weeks ago." Said Harry. _So much for Harry being the suspicious one…guess I shouldn't be complaining though…_

"Because," Ron's voice dropped to a dramatic whisper. "Of what I saw on the page."

"Really?" said Harry, rolling his eyes.

"What did it say?" I tried to keep the worry out of my voice.

"Well, when I glanced over your shoulder, I saw the name 'Wood' and 'Potter' on the page."

"Ron, Potter is the last name of the main character's exboyfriend, and she's plotting to kill him."

"With wood?" said Harry.

"Yes, or more specifically a wooden stake."

"What kind of book is that?" said Harry, taking a step back from me when my face split into an evil grin.

"A fascinating romance novel." And I let out a fiendish giggle for good measure.

"Well, Ron, are you satisfied? All you got out of this is that our best friend has a strange taste in books."

We entered the Great Hall to find it immersed in Halloween decorations with the unmistakable smell of pumpkin spice flowing through the air, along with several clouds of…

"Bats!" I shuddered and hid myself behind the boys, despite the fact I knew the bats could see me because of their airborne view.

"You're afraid of bats too?"

"Shut it, spiderman."

We found empty seats at the Gryffindor table and sat down together, me cowering between the two of them, while they laughed every time a bat flew too close for my comfort, which caused me to release a squeal of terror. I looked around, knowing that I wouldn't find who I was looking for.

Dumbledore stood up, gave us a quicky little speech and we began to stuff ourselves full of good food that I won't list because you'd be jealous, not to mention that night is a little foggy to remember.

Finally the deserts appeared and I contented myself with a slice of vanilla cake with orange colored frosting. Then I turned to Neville.

"Have you seen Hermione?" I said pointedly, and Ron gagged on his food.

"No, but Parvati has," he nodded at her and she supplied me with the information.

"So, Ron, you like making girls so upset that they go into the bathroom to cry for hours?"

"Bo," his mouth was full of cake. "Babey iv see wus a bittle bore norbal--"

"Ron, you're such a jerk!" I stood up and ran out of the Hall heading for the bathroom.

* * *

I slowed to a walk when I came up to the door and walked quietly, so that my presence would go unnoticed. I heard sobs coming from one of the stalls and I knocked on it.

"Go away!" Hermione wailed.

"Hermione, it's me, Kailey."

"What do you want?"

"For you to not end up like Moaning Myrtle." The stall door opened and a very red-faced Hermione was staring back at me.

"What do you really want? Help with your 'charms' or something?"

"No, wait…what?"

"Please, you don't honestly think I didn't figure it out did you?"

I stared.

"That book in our dorm? That's not just any book is it?"

I opened my mouth, closed it and shook my head.

"It's a log journel for your parents isn't it?"

"Huh…Oh! Yeah, it is…it's a little personal…"

"Do you hear something?" Hermione asked suddenly, squinting towards the door.

"No, but I smell some…thing…" Hermione's face had suddenly gone from misery to pure horror. I spun slowly on the spot, just as the door behind the monsterous creature swung shut with such a force, that I thought I might faint. I couldn't scream, but I groped around searching my pocket for my wand.

"Kailey, is that…?" Hermione whispered.

I nodded, my throat still stuck as the troll moved towards us. I finally got my wand and let it make a huge bang, which made Hermione scream. The troll yelled and swung its club letting it come crashing down onto the stone floor, inches from where I stood frozen to the ground.

**_Heh heh heh…I can make you all wait!!! Please don't forget to give me a Review!!! Thanks:-D _**


	18. Close Calls

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**I don't own the HP series…or trolls**

**BLOOD WARNING!!! (it's not much but just enough!)**

**_All right my fun with making everyone wait is over…truth is I couldn't wait myself!!! I would personally like to hear how "awesome" my story is from one certain _Fallen Ash!!! _Now don't forget to review!!!

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_**

I stared up at the giant troll, who's head was many sizes too small for its massive body. Its repulsive belly was hanging over its pants, a light skin jacket covered its back. Liver spots covered its arms and head, and it had a few stray hairs on the top of the head as well. Its squinty eyes were in a confused glare and a snarl was present on its face as it leered down upon my much smaller form. All of this standing before me, and still I couldn't force my wand in the air nor my legs to even shiver in fear. I was stock still.

A sudden banging as the door burst open caused the troll to lumber around on the spot to stare at what had made the noise. I didn't even flinch when I saw the club coming at me as the troll's arms swang around to face the door. The club made contact with my side, and I heard my ribs crack and I was flung backwards into Hermione. I inhaled sharply, gasping for air.

"Oh…God…" was all I could say as the boys shouted my name, and Hermione let out another piercing scream.

The noise was aggrevating the troll. Harry and Ron started throwing pieces of wall and broken pipe at the troll.

"Kailey, can you move over here more?" Hermione asked, her voice much calmer than it had been.

I didn't answer, but began to move extremely slowly towards where Hermione was pointing. Out of nowhere, a chunk of wall bounced off of the troll and hit my side, not hard, but enough to make me scream in anguish. Once again the troll swiveled around and this time it began to charge at Hermione and myself.

Suddenly, Harry was on the troll's back, his wand up the its nose.

Laughter nearly escaped my lips, but the action caused too much pain. Harry was swung around as the troll tried to figure out what was going on. Next thing Harry was hanging by one foot upsidedown.

"Ron! Do something!" Harry shouted.

"What do I do?" Ron shouted back in a panic.

"Swish and flick," I breathed out and Hermione shouted the words so Ron heard them.

The spell was preformed with near perfection. The club came out of the troll's grasp, and rose ten feet above the seven foot monster's head before plummeting down. It dropped Harry who scrambled out of the way just in time.

We all stayed still for a moment, Harry taking his wand from the troll's nose. The pain in my side had sub-sided somewhat, but I was sweating from the aches.

"Is it dead?"

"No," I whispered. "But maybe Dumbledore'll let me kill it."

I tried to stand up only to find Harry holding me down.

"You shouldn't move," he said.

"Yes, and you shouldn't stick your wand up a troll's nose."

"What is going on?"

We all looked at the door where McGonagall, Snape, and Quirell were standing. Actually Quirell was sitting on the floor, clutching his chest. _He's got no right to be wheezing…_

"It's my fault, Professor,"

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall looked shock, and Snape's face twisted into a confused expression.

"_We_ went looking for the troll," I said as firmly as I could. "Me and Hermione that is."

* * *

McGonagall ended up only taking off five points and giving the boys five each. She gave them directions to take me to the hospital wing then we would go back to the Common Room together with no side trips.

So off we went, rather slowly as Harry and Ron pulled me up to the hospital wing, stopping so I could breath.

"That was lucky," I said during one of these breaks.

"Yeah, the troll could've hit you much harder than that." Said Hermione, who apparently had read all about trolls.

"I wasn't talking about that." I said, "I was talking about the fact that we only gained five points instead of losing twenty." Ron _and_ Hermione laughed and Harry gave a smile.

"But you are lucky," said Harry.

"I know," I attempted to sigh but came up with a cough instead. "But you know the worst part of this?" They all looked at me questioningly, "I can't reach up to scratch my nose." They laughed and we found ourselves at the hospital wing.

She pulled me inside and told the others they could go, but when they asked to stay she just said, "When I told you, you could go it meant leave." And she walked over to my bed and closed the curtains.

"Won't this only take a few seconds?" I asked remembering all the times in my books when she had healed people with a flick of her wand.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to hold you here all night." I protested loudly until it felt like my ribs were cutting through my skin. "That's quite enough of that."

She flicked her wand and I immediately felt better than ever, but something still didn't feel right in my side. I looked down and finally noted my bleeding leg.

"Oh," I said, nodding my head. "That explains a lot."

"You didn't even notice it?"

"Uh…I was kinda preoccupied," I answered lamely. "But I still want to go back to the Common Room. Tonight."

"Well, I still have to clean this out," Flick. "Then wash your skirt," flick. "Then I have to fix your leg," two flicks.

"Is that all?"

"Yes,"

"Then aren't you done?"

"Yes, but I don't know if you can handle going back to Gryffindor tower all alone, all those stairs,"

"I think I'll manage," she sighed in a flustered manner.

"Very well, but if you get a pain in your leg you better come right back here!"

"I will," _most defiantly not. _"Thank-you, Madame Pomfrey."

I walked out of the wing and was just about to climb the first set of stairs when Harry, Ron, and Hermione popped out of nowhere…behind a suit of armor more specifically.

"She let you out then?" Ron asked.

"No, I escaped," I feigned looking over my shoulder for Pomfrey.

"Really? Even Fred and George haven't been able to do that."

"No, not really,"

"Oh…too bad,"

"So, you three have made up then?" I asked. They all nodded, Ron and Hermione wouldn't look at each other, but Ron was smiling to himself. "God, it's about time! I don't know how much longer I could've waited!"

"You knew?" asked Hermione.

"You're already telling her?" asked Harry and Ron in sync.

"Yes I am." I stated simply and proceeded to tell Hermione my predicament.

She immediately began listing names of people who I might be related to who went to Hogwarts, all having roots to muggles somewhere. Frankly, I was amazed she knew so many, and yet I wasn't.

"Hermione, how do you know all of this stuff?"

"Well, all of those people's sur names aren't in the book in the library."

"What book?" asked Harry.

"The one that all of the students of Hogwarts are entered into during their first year. We're all already in it."

"Wow," I said nodding. _Why didn't I know about that…? _"Can we go check it out?"

"No, Madame Pince won't let me,"

"No, I mean can we go in there and take a look?"

"Well, of course,"

"Alright," I was about to turn around when three pairs of hands grabbed my cloak. "What? Why can't we go now? The library'll be empty!"

"Because you just got pumbled by a troll," said Harry.

"And we're lucky we're not in more trouble," answered Hermione.

"And I want to finish desert," complained Ron.

"Fine, let's go," I gave in and we went through the portrait hole.

Everyone was talking about the troll and asking each other if the teachers had caught it yet. Percy kept telling everyone that he was sure that the teachers would come and get them when the coast was clear. Every time he said this Ron would shake his head and the rest of us would laugh.

Finally it came time for us to go to bed. Hermione and I said good night to the boys and climbed to our dorm. We changed into our pajamas and sat down on my bed, talking in whispers.

"Kailey, can I ask you something about Ron?"

"Sure, go ahead,"

"Do you think…"

"Do I think what exactly?"

"Do you think he meant it about me not having friends?"

"I think he was just aggravated that he couldn't figure it out on his own on the first try."

"Can I ask you something else?" Without waiting for my reply she pressed on, "That book isn't really a log is it?"

"What else would it be?" _Okay, now you're lying…well technically not…_I argued with myself in my head.

"I was thinking it had to do with--"

The door opened and Parvati and Lavender walked in.

"Never mind," Hermione said in an undertone.

"Goodnight," I said closing my curtains.

_This is getting difficult…no more reading by the fire at night…or in front of Hermione…Geez…If they find out, Dumbledore defiantly will…that's not good…Everything'll get screwed around with…_

With unpleasant thoughts of what would happen if I tampered with the future ran through my mind all night long. I fell into a fitful sleep, the first of many to come I was sure.

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**_Well that's it for now!!! Is it still too short? I can't tell… Oh well!! Don't forget to review!!! Next is Chap. 19!!! I'll update ASAP:-D :-) _**


	19. Dumbledore on Lying

CHAPTER NINETEEN

**I disclaim.**

_**Alright updating is gonna be squishy, I'm at the height of swim season and midterms…ugh…I'll do my best though!!! Please Review!!!

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**_

"This week went by too fast," complained Harry.

"I thought it was too slow," answered Ron.

It was the day before Harry's first Quidditch game and he was nervous. I had been having a hard time keeping my mouth shut about how the game would turn out (Ron wanted to make a bet with the twins, but Harry kept looking at me like a lost puppy!). We were outside in one of the many expansive courtyards at Hogwarts (Hermione had informed us that there were twenty in total, but some had a habit of disappearing during certain months).

"Hermione, do you think you could make us a little fire?" I whispered, rubbing my ungloved hands together. Why bother wearing gloves when your friend can conjure harmless fires in jars? With her gloved hand clutching her wand she made fire.

We all sat down, our backs to the blue flame sighing in warm relief.

"When's dinner?" moaned Ron.

"When is it every day?" I moaned in reply.

"You know what I mean!"

"Give it another half hour and the tables'll be ready." Hermione said after consulting Harry's watch.

"Are you reading that book again, Harry?" I asked as he dove into _Quidditch Through the Ages _for the millionth time.

"Kailey, what are the chances that I end up in the Sahara Dessert?" was his answer.

"Close to none," I said.

"Just close?" he said looking up at me.

"How the Hell am I supposed to know, Harry?"

"Well…I just-- thought you-- might…nevermind," he trailed off, the lost-puppy-face returning once more.

I shook my head and was about to ask Hermione what she thought of some of the names we had gotten from _The Book of Hogwarts Students _that afternoon during our break when I heard footsteps. Instinctively the four of us got closer together as Snape came closer.

"Potter what's that you've got there?" he spat, looking for something to pin on us. Harry held up his book, which Snape reportably grabbed. "No library books outside of school! Ten points!"

"Professor, technically we aren't outside of school," I said, shrinking closer to the jar as Snape turned to face me, I swear his face lit up a little.

"Oh? Then what is your argument for having a blue flame behind your backs? Because those aren't allowed in school." _That explains why his face lit up… _"Miss Macauley and Mr. Potter, kindly follow me." Grabbing the jar to bring with him as evidence, Snape led Harry and I into the castle. _Least it's warm in here…_ I was shocked to find that we weren't heading for the dungeons, however.

I determindly kept my eyes on the hem of Snape's cloak as we climbed two staircases and practically flew down three separate corridors. The whole time I could feel Harry's eyes drilling into my back, as well as several other students as the whispers filled the corridors. Finally Snape's cloak settled and I looked up to see a statue leaping aside revealing a revolving staircase. _What the Hell do we have to see Dumbledore for…?_

Snape motioned for Harry and me to go up and we did. I stopped in front of the door, until I felt a little shove between my shoulder blades.

"Child abuse," I muttered, knocking obediantly on the door.

"Come in," a voice called.

The three of us entered, and Harry and I sort of shuffled off to the side to let Snape through.

"Ah, Severus, I see you've brought me guests. Pray tell what they are in for this time." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, which seemed to make Snape even more flustered.

"Headmaster, I think it is time some actual punishment were given to these two." Snape said curtly, "They were not properly admonished after Halloween, and we wouldn't want their 'getting away with it' going to their heads."

"No we would not," said Dumbledore in agreement. "But I would like to know of their newest offenses."

"I caught them with this," he said triumphantly holding up the blue flame. He gave it to Dumbledore's outstretched hand.

"Professor," I inquired with a sudden idea. Dumbledore looked up and Snape swiveled around.

"Yes, Miss Macauley?"

"I wonder why that blue flame isn't allowed. I mean, we were outside after all. Besides, Harry isn't even the one who conjured it."

Dumbledore looked at Snape expectantly. "Well, I also found them with this book. It belongs to the library," Snape handed Dumbledore the book.

"I have my first Quidditch game tomorrow, Professor. I was just trying to read up a little more on the sport." Said Harry taking a small step closer to Dumbledore.

"It seems we have had a misunderstanding," said Dumbledore. Harry and I grinned. Snape grimaced as Dumbledore told Snape to give our house back the points he had taken away.

"Alright, five points back to Gryffindor," Snape swept out of the office before I could remind him it had been ten.

"Mr. Potter, I'll give you twenty five points if you catch the snitch tomorrow." Dumbledore said and they both turned to look at me.

"What? Is there something in my hair?" I asked, reaching my hand up to see if I could detect anything wrong. Dumbledore smiled, which frustrated me slightly. "Look, Professor, if you want to cheat on a Quidditch game--"

Dumbledore laughed out loud and Harry's smile widened.

"What!" I was getting really frustrated now.

"Miss Macauley, you need to work on your skills in the lying department." _Oh my God, pinch me! Dumbledore just _told_ me to work on lying…!_

"Professor!" I put my hands on my hips, amazed at myself for being so at ease with the headmaster.

"Now, I believe that dinner will be starting and there will be an uproar if I'm not in attendance, so," Dumbledore stood up and opened the door, gesturing for us to exit, which we did. "And Miss Macauley,"

"Yes, Professor?"

"It may help to put some gloves on, it is November after all,"

I grinned sheepishly and Harry and I went down the stairs and back through several corridors off to find Hermione and Ron.

* * *

"Why did I follow you down here?" I asked Harry, bored.

"I told you, I thought I saw Snape limping, and I think it's got to do with that dog-thing." Harry had grabbed my arm before we had got to the Great Hall and dragged me down to the dungeons. Now we were walking back up to the Great Hall.

"Why didn't you just ask me?" I asked.

"Because you wouldn't've told me," _He does learn quick…_

"Harry, dinner started like an hour ago," I moaned.

"You sound like Ron, and it's only been half an hour," we were walking past an open door now.

"OW! Be careful you idiot!"

Harry grabbed my cloak and pulled me against the wall as Snape's voice cracked the otherwise silent corridor.

"Bloody beast," he muttered. We peeked through the door to see Filch cleaning off a dried wound on Snape's leg.

I looked at Harry, who was staring at Snape with disbelief.

"Let's go," I whispered. We flew past the open door and ran the rest of the way to the Great Hall up stairs and around corridors.

"So," Harry panted. "He did get bit by the dog!"

"Yea," I said, deciding to just let Harry figure it out on his own. We entered the hall and found Ron and Hermione (still alive) and caught them _smiling together _before they had noticed our return. _I'm definatley gonna have to bug her…_

"Guys, you'll never believe this," I said sitting down.

"Snape tried to get past the three-headed dog," Harry whispered excitedly.

"Well, that too," I said and Harry stared at me.

"What did you want to tell them?"

"Dumbledore actually told me I had to work on my lying skills," I sniggered.

"No way," said Ron apalled.

"The headmaster wouldn't do that, it's not logical." Said Hermione sounding slightly aggravated.

"Oh believe it," I said. "Okay, Harry, you can tell them the other stuff now."

Harry launched into the full blown story (starting from when we walked into Dumbledore's office). Ron and Hermione kept throwing glances my way as if expecting me to show some sign of having known about the whole thing for months.

"Kailey, why didn't you warn us about the fire?"

"I only asked for it because my hands were cold," I said showing everyone how I hadn't worn any gloves.

"You mean this all could've been avoided if you'd worn your gloves?" asked Harry.

"Yep, pretty much,"

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**_That's the end of Chapter 19!!! Next is the 20th!!! Wow…PLEASE REVIEW!!! Thanx:-D_**


	20. Seven's Not So Magical

CHAPTER TWENTY

**Diclaimer…I think you get the idea…**

_**Alright, here's twenty…20…2-0…I have written a LOT!!!... wow…ok don't forget to review!!!!!!!!!

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**_

"Wow, my first quidditch match," I said as Hermione, Ron, Neville, and the other Gryffindors, and I made our way down to the field. "This is going to be so exciting!"

"Yeah, but I don't think it'll be as good as a football game," said Dean thoughtfully.

"I hate football," I said before Ron had anytime to reply. "I mean it's okay to watch, but there are way too many rules. The only part I like is the half-time show really. I don't even get why they call it 'football' it's not like you kick it or anything."

"What are you talking about? How else are you gonna get the ball around the field? You're not allowed to use hands, unless you're the goalie," said Dean looking at me like I had five heads.

"Me? What are _you_ talking about, there's no goalie in football! Hell, there's no goal!" Hermione started giggling.

"There is too a goal! How else do you score points?"

"Getting the ball into the endzone! Duh!" Now she started laughing outloud.

"Sounds like ruggbe to me," said Dean.

"No, it's football," Hermione gave a snort and was laughing at us uncontrolably. "Is there something you'd like to share with us Hermione?" I asked rounding on her.

"Yes, Dean is talking about soccer, only we call it football in Europe."

"OH! I forgot about that!" I said pulling a blonde moment.

* * *

We climbed the last few steps to the stands and sat down. And we sat. And sat. And sat. All the while that chatter around the stands grew louder and louder.

"When is this going to start?" asked Hermione in an aggravated tone.

"I don't know, but it'd better start soon," I said staring determindley at the entrance to the field for the players. "How long does it take for fourteen people to get dressed anyway?" Just as I finished my sentence the doors opened and out came the team. But there weren't seven players. "Eight? Why are there eight people? I thought there were only seven? Isn't that the 'magical' number or something?"

"Are you daft? Of course there are eight of them! Three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, one seeker, and one catcher." Said Ron looking at me as if I had six heads, it was a similar look that Dean gave me actually.

"What's the catcher do then?" I asked one eyebrow raised slightly.

"Well the catcher does a bit of everything I spose. They can throw the quaffle, assist the keeper, or help the seeker find the snitch. If they catch the snitch though it's still considered in play, so they have to get it to the seeker really fast or get pumbled by the other team. Weren't you listening when I explained this to Harry on the train?"

"Of course not! What sane person listens to a bunch of guys talk about sports! I'd rather play than have to listen to people argue about it." I said matter-of-factly. _Eight players…this could change a few things…I wonder what else could be wrong…?_

Apparently Hermione was thinking along the same lines as me. "Surley you already knew that though Kailey, right?"

"That's the thing," I whispered as Madame Hooch came onto the field. "Let's just watch the game." She nodded and we faced the field.

It was spectacular to watch. The quaffle was in the air for about two seconds when Angelina caught it and went whizzing through the air. She was really close to just being a scarlet blur, but not quiet that fast. She dodged three Slytherins in a matter of seconds when a bludger came out of nowhere. She dodged that too, but dropped the quaffle. Another scarlet blur came out from beneath her.

"Angelina drops the quaffle, but it's caught quickly by catcher, Shannon Waaye!" shouted the voice of Lee Jordan from the teachers box. "Waaye heads for the goal, her path clear, all but for the keeper. Come on Shannon!" The slytherin keeper darted at Shannon who swooped and passed the ball. "And Waaye makes the pass to Alicia Spinnet who scores! 10-0 Gryffindor!"

The waves of red, blue, and yellow all erupted in cheers, drowning out the groaning Slytherins. The game went on like that for a full half hour. Sometimes Shannon and the Slytherin catcher would circle around with their seekers. Harry stayed high above the game, his head darting back and forth, often making a random swoop to the other end of the field. _Wait…why is it called a Quidditch field if they're in the air…? _

Suddenly a bludger went flying at Wood. He caught it in his stomach and went soaring to the ground.

"The quaffle's on the other end of the air you twit!" I yelled along with other groans from the Gryffindor side.

"Other end of the air?" Hermione asked me when everyone had sat back down.

"Well, they're not technically on a field are they?" I asked. Hermione looked puzzled for a moment then shrugged.

"Katie Bell takes the penalty as Shannon Waaye makes her way to the keeper's position to take over for Wood." Lee yelled, "This'll be a good test for Gryffindor's newest member, Harry Potter, who is—what is he doing Professor?" Everyone's attention was suddenly averted from the game. Harry's broom was bucking him about.

"Fred and George Weasley can't seem to get a hold of him!" It was too true, the Weasley twins would come an inch within reaching Harry when Harry's broom would pull him up another five feet. "Circle underneath him guys!" Lee yelled as McGonnagall insturcted. The whole team seemed frozen except for the twins who circled beneath Harry.

I looked around to say something to Hermione and found an empty chair. My eyes flew over to the teacher's box once more and I saw a blue flame erupt on Snape's robes. _Crap, he's gonna think that was me…_

"Potters off! Where's he going?" Lee asked distractedly. If Angelina had been a blur, she was nothing but a slug compared to the speed Harry was going. He and the Slytherin pelted after a golden glimmer then took a steep dive. Then the Slytherin pulled up ten feet away from the ground, to nervous to keep going. Meer centimeters from the ground Harry pulled up, then quickly rolled onto the grass.

"What's wrong with Harry?"

"Did he get the snitch?"

"Let it all out Harry!" I yelled as the snitch popped out of his mouth. He gaped at it then, as the crowd got over the fact that the snitch had been in his mouth, he raised his fist to the cheering audience.

"Nice job Hermione," I whispered as she met up with us near the locker room doors where we awaited Harry. She blushed and nodded as the doors opened. Harry came out of the locker room first and was nearly engulfed by the crowd when Dumbledore came out of nowhere.

"Professor, I didn't know you were gonna be here!" I said in shock.

He chuckled then said in an undertone, "I owe a few house points to a certain Quidditch player." Harry beamed, he looked so happy that I laughed.

"Nice one Harry," I said.

"You could've warned me about the broomstick though," he said quietly.

"What was that?" he glared at me and the crowd was forced to shift so that Wood could be brought to Madame Pomfrey. He wasn't going without a fight, though.

"I need to talk to my team Professor!" He groaned somewhat drunkanly at McGonnagall.

"Then they can follow you to the Hospital Wing! You hit your head on the goal post, and I can't heal it properly! Now march!"

He growled then yelled, "Gryffindor team! To the Hospital Wing!" He must've had a concusion because he pointed to the castle in a way that would suggest he was holding a sword.

"Easy Oliver," said Shannon. "We're right behind you." She was tall and looked about sixteen. "Come on Potter, Wood'll throw a fit if we don't go." She rolled her eyes and the team trudged out behind her and Wood.

"Meet you in the Common Room, Harry," Ron said and we made our way through the castle and sat on the couches for an hour before Harry showed up.

Hermione made room on one of the couches, but Harry ignored her and plopped down next to me. In the one person armchair.

"Harry, there's plenty of room next to Hermione!" I said as I was squished into the side of the chair.

"Hermione isn't the one who should've warned me that my broom would be doing that." Harry said stubbornly.

"Okay, A) if I _had_ told you,you wouldn't have gone in the air at all, and B) what the hell does that have to do with squashing me?"

"Do not question my tactics!"

"Nice come back," said Ron sniggering.

"I thought so," said Harry who was no longer squishing me into the arm of the chair, but sitting on me instead. "Is that better?" he added.

"Well, it's not my side that hurts now," I said turning slightly blue. _Funny, I didn't think he'd weigh anything at all…must be the food here…_

_**Okay, I didn't like that ending, and Harry is NOT fat, but I was done with the chapter so…Please REVIEW!!! I LOVE review!!! Next is 21:-D**_


	21. The Book is Discovered

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

**_Wow, this story is like, old enough to drink now!!! Haha…ok it's not funny…at all…Oh well I tried! Just so everyone knows, the spellcheck on my computer isn't working for some reason…I can't seem to fix it… Okay, I'm gonna try to get things moving a wee bit quicker now! Oh, and the reason there are 8 Quidditch players is because I was trying to show that not everything in Kailey's book is accurate, though most things are. I think that's it…On with the story!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!

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_**

After the Quidditch game, November practically flew by. Hermione and I were starting to make regular stops to the library, just to gaze at the book of Hogwarts alumni for hours on end. Well, Hermione probably read it seeing as she was the one who turned the pages, I just stared. There were so many names and dates! It was like a giant history text book, and it also included brief descriptions of the people in the book about their lives.

Harry had come in once to see his parents' names and we discovered that James had been an auror and a seeker for Gryffindor. Both of these required fast reflexes and explained why Harry was the perfect build for a seeker. Lily, on the other hand, had dozens of awards for academic purposes as well as an award for creating a spell. The incantation and the spell's purpose were blured so that it was impossible to read.

"What d'you suppose that's for?" Harry had asked.

"I've got no idea," said Hermione. That response shocked us, and sent Hermione on another mission, just to prove she could figure anything out I think.

Since then we'd been in the library. During break, lunch, after classes, after homework, in short we nearly slept there.

It was now early Saturday morning (nine o'clock I think). _I'm in the library on a Saturday…and I woke up early… to go into the library… on a **Saturday**…_ Hermione was just turning to page 100,198,432 when Harry and Ron came in with a letter.

"Hey guys," I said wearily. "Whohafrom?" I yawned.

"Sorry?" said Harry raising an eyebrow.

"Who's that from?"

"Hagrid," said Ron. "He wants to know if we'd all like to go down to his hut for tea, and God knows what else." On our last trip to Hagrid's, he'd given us some sloppy sort of—of—I don't even know what it was supposed to be. It was like eating clam chowder with our hands.

"What time?" asked Hermione not taking her eyes off of the book. "Kailey, what about this one here? Jenny Pears,"

"Pears?" I asked, "How could I be related to somebody by that last name? It's way off."

"No listen, she's in her seventh year now, and she's a Gryffindor. Let me find her parents," Hermione began flipping pages frantically to find Jenny's parents.

"He said around noon," Harry said leaning over so that Hermione could understand him.

"Noon, noon," she said absent mindedly, which was very strange for Hermione. _I must be rubbing off on her…I hope my History of Magic grade doesn't suffer from this dramatic change…_

"That gives us three hours here," I said, dreading the very thought of another full day in the same room as Madame Pince. "Wait, we still have to have breakfast, _and _lunch." That made Hermione stop flipping through pages.

"Why do we need lunch if we're going to Hagrid's?"

"Well, you don't have to, but I want an excuse to deny Hagrid's—unique—cooking, while not forcing myself to strave." I said remembering all too well the clam chowder substince's taste.

"I agree," said Ron, who had eaten less than half of his meal at Hagrid's.

"We should go and get breakfast now then," said Harry. I hopped up at once, but Hermione sat there staring mournfully at the book.

"C'mon, Hermione, it's not going anywhere," I said as my stomach grumbled loudly earning a shushing from Madame Pince.

* * *

We ate breakfast at a speedy pace, due to Hermione's lack of pateince. Ron and I grumbled at not being able to sleep-in or eat to our heart's content at the "most important meal of the day" which in itself was unusal to hear from me.

We returned to the library at about ten to find it packed with people.

"Why is everyone in here?" Harry asked me in a whisper.

I shook my head as a response and moved in closer to the book navigating through many people. I nearly swallowed my tongue when I felt a hand on my back. I jerked around to find the owner and was faced with—

"George?"

"Fred, but George is over there," Fred said casually.

"Why are you in the library? I've _never_ seen you and George actually, well, working,"

"Who said anything about working?" asked George who was closley followed by Ron and Hermione. Harry was no where in sight.

"Well, it is a library," said Hermione.

"Yes,"

"But it is also,"

"A library filled with," Fred paused and looked at George.

"_Specimen_," George said after a moment.

"For what?" I asked sharply.

"Never you mind,"

"You must find a place in line if you want to see it afterall,"

"See what?" Ron asked. Harry was still M.I.A.

"The Book of Hogwarts Alumni of course," said George exasperatedly.

Hermione, Ron and I exchanged looks. _Why would the whole school suddenly be interested in the book…? That's weird…wait a minute…_

"Where's Harry?" I asked aloud, consciencely noticing that he wasn't there for the first time.

"Didn't he follow you in?" asked Hermione frowning.

"Snape," Ron whispered excitedly.

"What?" I said.

"Snape, I'll bet he kidnapped Harry!"

"That's ridiculous Ron," said Hermione. "I know what he did to Harry's broom, but kidnap is much too obvious." I did all that I could to keep from rolling my eyes. _It'd be so much easier to tell them Snape had like, nothing to do with the broom…but then they wouldn't go after the stone…crap…_

"He must of gotten lost in this mob," I said standing on tip-toe which had very little affect. _Damn, I hate being so damn short…!_

"Ron, can you look for Harry?" I asked giving up on trying to look over people's heads.

"Too short are you?" asked a voice behind me.

"Harry, where were you?"

"Lost in a sea of cloaks. Someone bumped into me and I lost my glasses," he said holding his cracked glasses.

"Here, Harry, let me see them," Hermione took the glasses. "_Reparo," _The glasses repaired themselves with a small puff of dust. You couldn't really call it smoke, so I call it dust.

"We should get out of here," I said.

The others nodded and we shoved our way through the crowd. It was a good thing too, because the next second a cloud of bluey gray substance was wafting throughout the library. People started screaming and ran out of the library, only some of them didn't seem to be people anymore. Giant purple and pink polka doted antennas were sprouting out of heads of random students, although most of them seemed unharmed, all were frightened out of their wits. I was about to say we should go when I spotted a blonde head come running out of the room.

I burst out laughing as Malfoy came screaming from the library like a little girl. He was being trailed closely by his thugs, and all three of them had the strange antennas sprouting from their heads.

"Ah, refreshing to see that one person appreciates our work," the twins were back.

"_Your_ work? You don't even know who you've affected!" Hermione was nearly beside herself.

"Relax, Herm," said Fred holding up his hands.

"Herm?" I muttered unheard.

"Yes our work," _Yup, I was unheard..._

"If you look closely enough," George continued.

"You'll notice that only one type of people suffer from our little 'epidemic' here,"

"Can you figure it out?"

We were quiet for a moment when Harry muttered, "Slytherins,"

"Yes, Slytherins, very good Harry,"

"We should clap for your keen sense of—George tell him about his keen sense,"

"I dunno what you were gonna say mate,"

"What sort of twin _are_ you?"

"Me? What about you?" They bickered on and we walked away from them slowly.

"Why don't we just go to lunch early then?" I said looking at my watch. The mayhem had taken up a full hour and a half.

"But we just ate," said Hermione. "Besides, the library is empty now."

"We didn't eat, we wolfed down like two pieces of bacon," said Ron defensively.

"That is so not true," said Hermione.

"Yeah, we had more than two pieces," I said.

"Whatever,"

"But, Hermione, if we go back now it'll look suspicious," said Harry logically.

"Yeah, people will suspect stuff,"

"Like what?"

"I dunno, maybe that we had something to do with the little show we just saw," I said shrugging.

"As if a first year could pull that," said Hermione.

"Well there's still the question as to why everyone was there in the first place," Ron said, starting to lead us to the Great Hall.

"Exactly," I said, silently applauding Ron.

"Fine, I suppose we could go to the library later,"

"Great," said Ron and he turned around and started skipping to the Great Hall.

"Ron, if you skip one more step, I'll make you watch me eat while I tie you to a chair using a nifty little spell I found in a book!" I yelled after him.

He stopped and stuck his tongue out at me.

"Very mature," said Hermione as Harry decided he was going to go ahead and skip along with Ron. "Do you think it's a boy thing?"

"What could have possibly given that away?"

"Fair point, but do you think they'll ever grow out of it?"

I turned back to watch them frolic down the corridor, when they stopped and called for us to hurry up.

"Not a chance," I said and Hermione grinned.

* * *

_**Strange ending in my opinion, the skipping I mean. I thought it would be fun!!! I hope you enjoyed the purple-antenna-ed Malfoy!!! Next is twenty two!!! Please REVIEW!!!**_

_**:-D**_


	22. A Skip Then A Jump

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

_**Sorry this has taken so long! I've been so busy! Please don't forget to review!

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We didn't end up going back to the library that day for one reason: snow. A two-foot blanket was now outside, just begging us to create mischief. Hermione and I hadn't seen it coming down to the library earlier, my head had been pounding, and Hermione was verbally going through a list of possible names. Had I noticed the snow at first, I wouldn't've bothered going to the library.

We all came in around six, sopping wet with bright red noses and chattering teeth. Practically the entire school (minus the Slytherins) had been outside for the better half of the day. Harry, Hermione, Ron, the twins, Lee Jordan, and I were the last ones to fall through the portrait hole. Literally.

Ron fell quite suddenly, knocking into Harry, who stumbled into Hermione and would've crashed into me, if Lee hadn't already.

"That was fun,"

"Incredibly entertaining,"

"And a perfect ending,"

"To a perfect day," the twins stood laughing at us, each with a foot stuck out.

They helped Lee up and went over to a table, laughing at our expressions.

"I can't believe I didn't see that coming," said Hermione, standing up and brushing herself off.

"Me too," I said rubbing my shoulder where it had contacted the floor. We headed over to the fireplace and sat down. _Wonder why no one else ever sits here…the fire is so warm tonight…it's nice…

* * *

_

"Kailey," the voice sounded distant and far off. I shifted under the blankets…wait blankets?

"Kailey," the voice called again. It was a man's voice, kind and somewhat commanding by the sound of it. I moaned and my voice cracked as if it hadn't been used in months. _What the hell is going on…? _

I opened my eyes and the bright lights of the room nearly blinded me. I looked around. The place looked way too familiar. Next to my bed sat Albus Dumbledore. I sat up, now utterly confused.

"Nice of you to join us Miss Macauley," said the white-bearded man beside me.

"Why am I in the Hospital Wing, professor?" Yes, it was all too familiar, but nothing was clicking and I felt as if I should know exactly why I was there.

"You mean you do not recall what happened?" I shook my head.

"Professor, the last time I was here—y'know after the sorcerer's stone deal—I was asleep for a few hours. It looks like spring outside."

"Why don't you tell me the last thing you remember?"

I thought for a moment. "I remember coming out of the library with Hermione. She and I—well mostly Hermione—had found the book about basilisks. We were heading towards your office with a page from the books and we looked around a corner with a mirror and then I was back in first year." It all made sense, except for the being a first year again part.

"Was I petrified, professor?" I asked, glaring at my sheets.

"Yes, you were, but that is not why I am here," His voice became serious.

"They found the chamber already right? Ginny is okay?"

He held up a hand. "Miss Weasley is fine, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley saw to that." I sighed in relief.

"But there is someone who I would like you to meet. Keena, would you come here please?"

A tall woman around her early thirties (maybe even late twenties) walked over. Her hair was shoulder length and had a blue streak running through it, and her skin was dark, but not overly tan. I had seen her hanging around Hogwarts for the first few weeks of school. She had seemed nice enough.

"Kailey, this is Miss McIntosh. She has some—news to tell you."

She looked at Dumbledore in surprise. "Wait, I thought you were going to tell—her everything."

"Frankly, Keena, I believe you are the best to explain the situation."

"Oh great,"

"Is something wrong?" I asked, perplexed at how someone could talk to Dumbledore like that. _Either she has great connections, or she's just stupid…_

"Well, that depends on how you look at it," said Keena. "Let's put it this way: Professor Dumbledore has a little 'errand' he'd like you to run for him."

"Professor?" I asked returning my gaze to the wizard.

"It's true; there is a small task I would like to ask of you, if you wouldn't mind. You see, I can't very well trust this to a teacher or any other adult for that matter. The older one grows, the more selfish they seem to become, you see. This 'errand' as Miss McIntosh so kindly put it, involves returning to the past to deliver a message to my younger self.

"Most adults would take this as an opportunity to change past choices and such; however, you have already proven that you won't—crack—under pressures. Would you like to try this?"

"Well, I don't mind, sir, but I'm just slightly curious as to why Miss McIntosh had to be here." I said still trying to mull everything over in my head.

She laughed and said, "Think, you'll figure it out." I continued to look at her hopelessly. I'd been knocked out for months and they were asking me to figure out who the hell she was?

"That's alright, what's important is: will you or will you not do this for the professor, here." She asked nodding at Dumbledore.

I looked at my hands for a moment.

"Don't worry, everything here will wait for you. Regardless of what people say, time does wait sometimes."

"Alright, I'll do it,"

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_**Finally, after 21 chapters, I'm starting to get moving! Please review! Next chapter, Kailey is sent twenty years into the past! Sorry if the big jump confused anybody:-D**_


	23. Going Back

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

**_Okay, it's time to recap what has just happened, because I think everyone is lost. We just found out that Kailey had been petrified (yes we actually started in the midst of second year) so she was asleep for a long, Long time, dreaming (or reliving) her first year at Hogwarts. Everything that happened in her "dream" was _real, _a part of her past, you could say. Everyone knows the ending of the S.S. so there should be no confusion there. _**

**_Now Dumbledore wants her to play Hermes and go back in time to deliver some sort of message. Because Kailey already knows what's going to happen in her normal time, Dumbledore doesn't think she'd have too much trouble keeping her secret to herself in the past. I'm also going to take this time to mention that this is most likely going to be the last chapter of this story and there will be a sequel. _**

_**All right, I think I got everything! Don't forget to review!!!!

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My head was spinning. Dumbledore told me to meet him in his office and to be careful that no one saw me on my way there. Madame Pomfrey was nearly beside herself when I told her I had to leave. I was already changed, but she tried to shove me back in bed anyway. I told her Dumbledore wanted me in his office and she nearly exploded.

"The Professor was just here! What could he possibly tell you in his office that he can't tell you here?" Keena walked over (she had stayed to wait for me, to make sure I didn't get sidetracked on my way to the office). She led Pomfrey over away from me a little way and whispered in such a way that I couldn't dream of 'over-hearing' them.

They came back over and Pomfrey looked in a cross between livid and satisfied.

"Alright, you may go, but watch those stairs!" Keena led me out of the wing.

"She will, don't worry Pop!" Keena shouted over her shoulder. "That woman never changes! It's been the same attitude with her since I was here."

We navigated through a series of corridors that I hadn't even known existed. Behind several tapestries and past suites of armor, we even went up and down a few different staircases. We arrived at Dumbledore's office and Keena spoke the password. We climbed the stairs and went through the door with out knocking. _She must know him pretty well to not even knock on the door…_

"Hello, Kailey, Keena," he gestured for us to sit. "Are you ready?" Dumbledore twirled his wand in his hand.

"Don't we need a time turner?"

"I wasn't talking about that, we need to change your appearance so that no one will think that the present you is the you from the past."

"Oh, right, I hadn't really thought of that,"

"First we're going to cut your hair--"

"My hair? No! I love my hair!" I said tugging my waist-long hair into my lap.

"Do not fret, you can grow it back when you are—for lack of better wording—you again." Before I could protest, Dumbledore waved his wand and my hair was at my shoulders. "Let us darken it as well," another wave of his wand and my hair was black.

"Is that all?" I asked holding a clump of my hair in front of my face, staring at it horrified.

"No, we'll have to change your skin color a bit," said Dumbledore, raising his wand once more.

"Wait, Professor," Keena looked at me. "Do you want to be darker or lighter?"

I thought for a moment, "Darker, that way I won't look like I dye my hair."

"And what color eyes?"

"This is an awkward conversation...um...how about storm blue? Can I at least have fun with this?" I asked tilting my head.

"Have all the fun you want," said Keena, waving her own wand to adjust my features. "Your height is good for now, that can always be changed when you get older. There, what do you think, sir?"

"Very good, you are unrecognizable to someone who has never met you."

"Cool," I said.

"Brilliant," said Keena.

"That too,"

"No, you need to try and use some British slang. Perhaps we should change your accent as well," Keena flicked her wand again, and I felt a tickling sensation in my throat.

"That was strange," I muttered out loud. I gasped, "Where'd my accent go?"

"It didn't go anywhere, I changed it," Keena said laughing at my reaction.

"Now, down to business," said Dumbledore, sitting down behind his desk. "You will be delivering a message to my past self. Unfortunately, we have no means of getting you back here immediately. This means you may have to live in the past for the next twenty years or so. This is not to be considered lightly. You will most likely end up attending Hogwarts in the past, but that means that you may have to go through schooling here twice. You are getting the opportunity to fail your first time coming through here, but I do not believe that to be a very wise decision."

"Where will I work after the first seven years sir?" the words sounding foreign, coming from my mouth.

"That is entirely up to you. Going through the best years of your life twice is something most would enjoy because they could make amends to past decisions, or follow a dream they did not have the chance to follow the first time through. Though I would not recommend teaching for very long if you choose to. Not everyone can handle living here for most of their lives."

"I don't know about that Professor," said Keena. Dumbledore chuckled and shook his head.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Er…how far back am I going exactly?"

"Keena?"

"Twenty-one years will get you to the summer before I started first year," Keena said looking at the ceiling, making sure her math was correct.

"Twenty-one years it is, then. Now, I've put information on your situation in this letter to myself, and the message you are delivering is in this envelope." Dumbledore handed me two letters, the one about me had emerald scrawl on it, while the one containing the message had spiky red. "Are you ready?"

I stood up and looked Dumbledore in the eye, "What if the past you doesn't believe my story?"

"Nonsense, I am very trusting,"

Keena snorted.

"Ms. McIntosh?"

"Sorry, Professor, but I think you should give her some way of telling the past you who she is exactly."

"I wrote down my most desired Christmas present down in the letter, I will know. Now, it is time for you to be heading back Kailey," Dumbledore walked over and handed me a time-turner. "Good luck," he tapped the time-turner and it started spinning. I held onto my wand and the letters tightly as the room around me began spinning.

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Lights flashed as I went through days and nights. At random moments, there were loud bangs and voices that I could here. Some were people shouting, others were protesting. I closed my eyes and kept spinning for a few more minutes.

Suddenly, after what felt like hours, the spinning stopped and I stumbled, falling to the ground.

I heard a chair scraping and footsteps. A pair of feet hidden under a crimson cloak stopped in front of my nose.

"Are you alright?" I looked up to see a younger version of Dumbledore looking down on me. When I say younger, I mean a shorter beard and hair, with very light streaks of auburn.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a little dizzy, sir," I stood up and looked around. There were less silver objects buzzing around, but Fawkes was still there, gazing at me strangely. Everything was fading in and out of view.

"What is your house, miss?"

"My what?" I said, holding my head. My eyes still hadn't adjusted, and it was making my head hurt.

"Your house,"

"Oh, right, um…can I just give you these?" I handed him the letters. "Professor, if you wouldn't mind reading the green marked one first? I'd like to go to the Hospital Wing, my head hurts," I blinked furiously, but everything was still spinning slightly.

I heard him open the letter and I began massaging my temples. He was quiet for a few minutes, and then he walked me over to a chair and sat me down.

"Miss Macauley, we will need a new name for you," I nodded and he continued. "According to this letter, your first name will be 'Keena' because of its meaning,"

"What does Keena mean?"

"I believe it means 'brave' it could be suggesting which house you are in?"

"Yes, I was--well am--a Gryffindor in my time," my head was still pounding behind my eyes, like an intense migraine.

"Are you alright?" he insisted again. I was blinking hard now. Everything was changing shape and color like crazy.

"I need the Hospital Wing, sir," I said, getting more and more nervous by the second.

"Come," Dumbledore helped me out of my chair and down the stairs out into the corridor. It was noisy and I saw blurs moving away from the professor quickly. Whispers began coming in all around us.

We went up a staircase and down a corridor and we were at the Hospital Wing. _Keena must have taken me the long way around…_I thought groggily. Dumbledore directed me to a bed, and I sat down.

As if summoned, Madame Pomfrey came rushing over to see what was wrong.

"What have they done this time," she said, feeling my forehead. "What hurts?"

_Everything…_

"I think it's her eyes, Poppy," said Dumbledore, boring his sky blue eyes into my artificially colored ones.

Suddenly everything went dark. I blinked hard and the blurs came back for a moment, but were gone again in a flash. I continued blinking, but to no avail. Finally the blurs wouldn't come back. All I could see was darkness.

"Oh dear, what's happened to her eyes?" I heard Madame Pomfrey's voice coming from my right. She sounded very close. I heard a rustling noise and knew that someone was waving his or her hand in front of my face, trying to make me blink. I frowned and the rustling stopped.

"How could this have happened Albus?"

"Keena, here has just traveled twenty-one years back in time after being in a coma state for several months. That is a lot of stress on a thirteen year old girl." _Oh that's right; I missed my 13th birthday… _

"What are you doing here child?" Pomfrey asked me, leaning so close to my face I could feel her breath.

"I believe that is a matter between Keena and me," said Dumbledore, closing the matter.

It took me a moment to find my voice, "Professor, will I ever be able to see again?" The pounding in my head had sub-sided and I was feeling slightly better.

"Not for a while at least," said Pomfrey, back to her normal bossy self.

I swallowed and tried hard not to shake, begging myself not to cry. _Wait a minute…Keena? That was the girl in Dumbledore's office! I will get to see again…! _

"Miss…what was your name again?" Madame Pomfrey said, standing.

"Keena, my name is Keena McIntosh," I said staring strait ahead into the blackness.

"Well, you will have to spend the night here at least, most likely more. What year will you be attending?"

"I believe we shall have her start next year as a first year, that way you can get used to your new condition,"

"Thank you, sir," I said gloomily.

"Do not worry, everything will be taken care of,"

I heard him rise. I listened to his footsteps fade as he headed for the exit.

_I guess I'll be relaying on my ears now…

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_**I finally finished! I'll get cracking on the next book as soon as I can! Don't forget to review:-D**_


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